During her appearance on the TV programme Popolin, guest Phyllisienne Brincat said that disease and other conditions are a result of sin.
Brincat stated that this is to human beings being born on earth as ruled by Satan, and that this view is corroborated by the Biblical scripture. The comments did not go down well, both by the audience and the general public on social media.
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An audience member called the statements, which suggested that anyone born with Down syndrome or any disability, as insulting and putting further stigma on those suffering.
Meanwhile, Oliver Scicluna, CEO of Aġenzija Sapport, took to social media to say that the comments made by Jacob (the audience member) accurately explain how comments implying that persons with disabilities suffer from such conditions are a result of sin only increases the stigma.
‘No, I believe that certain discourse cannot be tolerated further, because it is otherwise useless to clap about rights and inclusion.’
The Commission for the Rights of Persons With Disability also released a statement, saying that:
‘The disability sector has come a long way from these antiquated ideas and these opinions are completely detrimental to the acknowledgement that persons with disability should be given the respect they are entitled to as equal citizens in Malta.’
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