Encik Aznan sent me an email yesterday. In the mail, he stated that they have investigated and rectified the problem at the toilet for disabled persons behind the Tie Shop at Level 5, KLIA. At the same time, he requested that I provide them with a photo of a door lever suitable for such amenities, which I did in my reply just now.

As I will be away for a few days beginning tomorrow, I told him that I would provide additional information when I return. However, the main issue, which was the toilet for disabled persons in Penang International Airport, was not mentioned. This I will pursue when I return.

Related entry:
Response From Malaysia Airports

What are my trips to Kuala Lumpur without meeting my blogger friends? Bloggers, blog readers and blogger wannabes, lets get together on September 25 2005, 3.00pm at the Oasis Food Court, Second Floor, Mid Valley Megamall. The time was specifically selected because I understand that KLites do not wake up at 10.00am on a Sunday morning. Come and share your views on everything under the sun, not just about blogging. Everybody is welcome.

Screen capture of KL Lifestyle.

Marita, who was in Kuala Lumpur for a seminar this week, sent me the following SMS yesterday: Your blog is mentioned in KL Lifestyle magazine. I have never heard of the KL Lifestyle and I asked her where I could get a copy. The one she was reading was in the hotel room she was staying in. She offered to keep that copy for me which is the September issue. A search with Google yielded the website. This magazine is published monthly by the one of the associate companies of the KL Monorail.

The article titled Keeping A Cyber Journal featured three bloggers: Elizabeth Tai of Messy Christian, Boo-licious of Masak-masak and Vivian Chan of Vivianlives (no url given). There is also a short writeup on how to get started with Malaysian Central Blog Directory and Project Petaling Street being cited there. The effort of the Bloggers Are Morons team for the Blogathon 2005 was highlighted but the amount raised was erroneously stated as RM1,3568.98 when it should have been in US Dollars.

Listed as some popular and well known Malaysia(sic) blogs are Screenshots, When Routine Isn’t Normal, As Suanie Sees It, Minishorts : Rejuvenated, Sixthseal, TV Smith’s Dua Sen, The Digital Awakening, IreneQ•Unravelled and YvonneFoong. The interesting feature about the online version of the KL Lifestyle is that it comes with a nifty page flipping animation when pages are turned. Aditionally, one click on a particular page will open a JPEG file of that page. The article is here and here. Thanks Marita for the pointer.

Photo by Wuan.

At 5.30pm just now, I received a call from Encik Aznan who introduced himself as the terminal manager for KLIA. This was regarding the email I wrote to Malaysia Airports. The discussion focused mainly on the disabled toilets around KLIA. He informed me that he did an inspection of those facilities and acknowledged that the sliding doors of some of the toilets were indeed difficult to open and close. Those, he said, were in the original design and they were not aware that it could cause problems for disabled persons using it.

I explained to him that I have limited hand functions and rounded knobs and small locking mechanisms for toilets doors would be difficult to for people with similar disabilities like mine to operate. Additionally, I suggested that a proper audit be carried out for all the facilities for people with disabilities to ensure that they are suitable and functional, like I have suggested earlier in my email.

Encik Aznan asked for contacts of organization of disabled persons to assist them in such matters but I did not have it offhand. I promised to check and get back to him on that. In the meantime, he said he would reply to the email that I sent. For this, Malaysia Airports gets good marks for their caring attitude and a willingness to improve on aspects where there are shortfalls. Hopefully, the problems that I highlighted would be corrected soon.

I fell in love with a lady. And I fell in love with her city. What a vibrant city this is. Kuala Lumpur - I left my heart here six years ago. Each time I return, things would have changed except the love that I found here. That love, it blossomed and flourished. There never was a more fulfilling relationship than this. This fertile land has nourished a passion that I never thought possible. This is what that has been drawing me back since.

This city will always be special in many other ways too. It heralded the beginning of my journey towards independent living. For the first time in my physically disabled life, I ventured 400km here all by myself. That was the decisive moment where I determined that I wanted to break free from the invisible shackles I imposed upon myself. Such was the power of love that it could motivate the doubtful mind to realize the seemingly unachievable. It was love that set me free. It was this city that gave me the opportunity.

Kuala Lumpur is where I found my ladylove. It was also here that I discovered dreams are not impossible as long as I dare to dream it. Once the heart is set, nothing can hold it back. This city continues to conceive a thousand dreams in my mind that I want to make into realities. It is here that my love is; it is here that my heart is; it is here that many great friendships have been forged. One day, I hope, I can call this city home. This is Kuala Lumpur – the city of possibilities.