PETALING JAYA: All television news broadcasts will be required to provide sign language interpreters, finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz announced in his budget speech.
“Probably not many people know Tan Lee Bee, Khairunnisa Kho Abdullah, Wan Zuraidah Abu and Goh Soo Leng who serve as sign language interpreters, we often see in the corner of the television screen,” he said, Bernama reported.
Currently, sign language interpreters are only seen on news broadcasts by RTM, the national broadcaster.
Tengku Zafrul said the new policy would apply to all television networks, including the private sector, so that disabled people could keep up with the latest news.
The sign language interpreters are to be provided with the assistance of Bernama, the national news agency, which said it provided sign language on Bernama TV, its 24-hour news channel, since Jan 4, as well as on its sports news segment.