We Will Fight Back

A journalist from The Sunday Times in Singapore sent an email two days and called just now when I was at Gurney Plaza with SapiensBryan, ReallyBites and KS and his wife. He requested an interview regarding the disabled toilet issue and the offending person being dropped by her sponsors. I declined. This reluctance stemmed from a telephone conversation I had with her remaining sponsor where my words were allowed to be quoted out of context.

My silence thus far is neither an admission of guilt nor of wrongdoing. I have said my piece. I have made my stand. Wrong is still wrong no matter what. Malicious words thrown my way will not change the fact that a disabled person using a toilet adapted to his needs was wickedly depicted. The condescending way in which she described that incident and people with disabilities was most appalling.

Many have asked if I really emailed her sponsors. Yes, I did. However, that single mail did not have much effect. One sponsor wrote back to say that they would speak to her regarding her use of profanities and blogging on sensitive issues. There was no indication of them wanting to pull out. It was the collective complaints from others who were offended by her thoughtless remarks that became her death knell. I have never enlisted any of them into this battle. I fight my own battles. They joined in the fray because they have a conscience and the mind to distinguish the right from the wrong.

It was never my intention to hurt her financially as her remaining sponsor had hinted. Sponsors have a right to know when the people who endorse their products misbehave. And it was also within my right to inform them that I found their advertisement placed together in the same space as that offending entry tasteless. In this case, they decided that she did not portray an image that they desired and pulled out. If there is anyone to blame, she should blame herself for having her sponsorship revoked because of her tactless behaviour.

For far too long, the rights of people with disabilities have been trampled on, ignored and overlooked. We are handicapped, not by our own disabilities, but by unfriendly constructions and uninformed societal perceptions that restrict our independence. We have every right to enjoy life as any other person. Sadly, we are constantly and shamelessly being deprived of the little conveniences that have been provided to make our lives easier. I am making my stand here and now. Enough is enough. Yes, we are no pushover anymore. Think twice before trying to take us on because we will fight back. I will fight back.

Author: Peter Tan

Peter Gabriel Tan. Penangite residing in the Klang Valley. Blissfully married to Wuan. A LaSallian through and through. Slave to three cats. Wheelchair user since 1984. End-stage renal disease since 2017. Principal Facilitator at Peter Tan Training specialising in Disability Equality Training. Former columnist of Breaking Barriers with The Borneo Post. This blog chronicles my life, thoughts and opinions. Connect with me on Twitter and Facebook.

63 thoughts on “We Will Fight Back”

  1. The little that the disabled have access to now is the result of the disabled fighting back. With help from the abled bodied of course.

    All the lame, sick, old, pregnant, blind, deaf are with you. Most families have at least one such. A person’s rights end where others’ begin. That blogger in Singapore ought to know that.

  2. Morning Peter!

    I wholeheartedly agree with you when you said and I now quote, “We are handicapped, not by our own disabilities, but by the unfriendly constructions and uninformed societal perceptions that restrict our independence”. Mobility and independence are very powerful tools to empower the physically challenged and the elderly. Many are able to function effectively, contribute to their local communities and lead fulfilling lives when care and sensitivity has been shown to their needs.

    Malaysia has a long road ahead, creating a friendly environment for the physically challenged and elderly to move with greater ease but I would like to think that sometime in the future (with my eyes just at the horizon) we are able to do so. The sooner the people realizes that this is a basic need for the community, the sooner the people, both able bodied and the challenged, voice their opinions and inform the political leaders, the decision makers, the business people and the community at large request and WANT these facilities recognized and built, the sooner the physically challenged will be able to contribute their share to society; and I am sure that just like you, many other physically challenged people will be able to do positive things with their lives, when shown the correct care, attention and sensitivity.

  3. Peter

    You are still not getting the point. So what if you are right? That girl needed a slap in the face no doubt for what she said. But if only you cared to note that those were the ramblings of an immature know it all and that very few of her readers and supporters even may subscribe to such an attitude or view of handicaps you would have at best privately reminded her of that and shut that off. I have privately written to her, not that she responded, when I have thought something she said may have been inappropriate. But all that I see now is that you put sand in her rice bowl.

    You will probably deny a desperate whole bodied man who needs to go just because of your right! Right?! That is the attitude you are taking in the post above and in your previous posts. As so many people have said, we don’t owe you guys a life. Physical handicap alone is not so much a handicap as compared to one mired in ignorance, fear and deceit that crops that person of a full life. In that sense your exercise of your free will, independence and freedom far surmounts any physical handicap that impedes your movement and stops you living the miserable life the rest of us live.

    You have assumed that pysically handicapped people naturally acquire certain rights and it is incumbent on the rest of us to know what these are and to provide for this. Know that it was not too long ago when any physical handicap was thought of as a curse and you were hidden away behind closed doors. Unfair, but true. It has taken monumental paradigm shifts in order that society begins to take stock of itself to recognise the different handicaps and as a society to provide for them. It will take a much longer time for society to treat you as indifferently as we treat full bodied persons so that you never have to tell us thank you for opening the door for you or to help carry your wheel chair or to help you cross the road or what ever. When I open the door for you I don’t want to think that I am being generous. I don’t want to think that that is what is expected of me. And I certainly do not want any credit to do the “right” thing.

    If you as a handicap can experience so much of life as compared to your counterparts of half a century ago it has been because of the combined efforts of both the handicaps as well as the full bodied people who have championed for the neutralising of everyday living for all of us. But we cannot hold back just so that we shall all experience an equal march forward. It will always remain unequal. But then it is rather funny that I felt so handicapped when I stood just next to Stephen Hawkins. I actually bought A Short History of Time and just could not get past the second chapter. I just fooled myself into thinking I would grow into the book while reading the first chapter.

    We too are handicapped when we without thinking slight our fellow man. When without understanding we fell our fellow man. When without a care we shoot our fellow man. It takes a different kind of understanding and being to cede to another’s right as to give way to his privilege. And it takes a magnanimous sacrifice at times to set aside ones right, privilege or position just to give way to one less endowed or to one more deserving. It is no crime but certainly it says something of one’s upbringing when dealing with our fellow man whether handicapped or not.

    I would say XX was delinquent for making those statements, which I don’t think were meant to hurt. Nevertheless by her own writings it is so clear that she has still got far to go to understand the ways of the world. But her blog is not her persona. Listen to her ipod post. Two different people altogether and listen to her remorse. I cannot believe she believes in everything she says or suggests in her blog. It is the crap that she writes and tries to maintian that is the character of that blog. I would hate to think that her comments in her blog can help shape views on anything at all. Just like Bart Simpson’s view of the world is not exactly what we all believe it to be. It would seem like I could not get away with taking on a Bart Simpson view and expounding it in a Bart Simpson way without anyone I might cross having a go at me. That comment and view by XX is no more than relective of her blog’s attitude and view of the world. I don’t think anyone to be fool enough to think there is anything there so serious to learn from and to provide a guide to our daily living. That blog entry deserved no more than a void look. You by your intellectual pursuit have made it something to ponder over.

    Where before I never thought about your rigts or your privilege, I have now begun to ask what really it is. Sorry I don’t buy what the human rights charter says because going by my own view of life as prescribed by my maker it falls short of my sense of being. As someone who would have to consider making provisions for the handicapped or underpriviledged, I would rather I act on my own sense of responsibility, not charity, than to be thrust with some rule that artificially specifies how I should make those provisions. Somehow that makes me feel like a machine rather than a person! I subscribe to the same faith you do, but somehow our paths diverge.

  4. Dear Pete,

    To me, live on wheel chair is torturing. I’ve been on one for like a week after a climbing accident and that was horrible. The lack of mobility is causing me to go nuts. However, I’m grateful to be alive. To me, to live on this world is a right, and only God has control over this right. The rest of the thing is just priviledge. Priviledge is something that is given to you as an options in live. Like, the house I’ve lived in, that’s a priviledge. The shoe I am wearing, that’s priviledge. The light from the sun, that’s a priviledge. These can be taken away and live is still going on. Of course, if you take away the sun, then live is dead any way. I’ve the priviledge to talk to a prisoner of war back in 1999 when I am doing my final theology paper. I came to realise that one thing about prison in Soviet Union is that there is not even a shread of lights in the cell. Once in awhile, when someone shine a torch light on you, the light that was taken out from your life is terribly painful.

    I am thankful that we are all living. We have so much priviledge that sometimes we take assumption that these are our right. Even the nice food we have here in Malaysia and Singapore to me is a priviledge.

    My favourite quote from the bible is Hebrew 11:1 “Now, Faith is the substantiation of the things hoped for, the conviction of the things not seen.”, You my friend has been in the substantiation of the live as a PWD. To your fortune, you are living in priviledge, not in some part of the world where these priviledge is unheard of. I do have faith in knowing what you have gone through, I do have faith that the life you lived is probably seven fold harder than healthy living Malaysian, and that there are really a lack of facilities for the PWD in Malaysia. I do laud your spirit of wanting to make it better and your convictin of the the things yet to be seen, a battle that you are fighting for. But I have only one gentle reminder that is that both you and I, are living in the priviledge of Malaysia and being compleasant is to know that “I am a priviledged PWD, I’m a priviledged person. I have the priviledge to blog. I am priviledged.”

    In the business world there is this analysis model called PESTE. Let me work it from the back.

    E – Environmental
    T – Technological
    S – Social
    E – Economical
    P – Political

    This issue on PWD facilities arised from the Environmental factor where things in the environ is not condussive to the PWD. There are Technological solution to the problem that is to have specially designed and customised amenities that is technologically possible to overcome. However, this is subject to the social obligation of the building owners in consideration of the economical factor to provide such a facility. How nice of it if this can be a political decision where all the building in Malaysia should have this sort of facilities for PWD. But the dark side of the politic could be, that is can be a change of decision of the political power to provice or remove such priviledge as well.

    Pete, The backbone of politic is voices, If you can have enough support to get through the Political factor and make it a must, then you are a winner, and by then, the facilities for the disabled is a right (enacted by law), but before that happens, it is just a priviledge that you can enjoy when ever and where ever it is provided.

    Pierce
    Web log http://blog.kuchingfest.com
    Wap log http://wapblog.kuchingfest.com

  5. Fight back? Peter, did someone actually attack you? Like, personally? How did all this begin? How did it end up here?

    What’s with the world nowadays. For example, remember last time when someone in the MRT so much as looks at you and suddenly tomorrow’s newpaper announces his hospitalization as a result of a brawl gone out of hand, and to think it all started from an innocent stare.

    People are filled with bitterness and vengefulness nowadays. Everywhere we go we see our versions of injustice and we take retribution into our own hands, we make everything our own business. We don’t want them to understand, we want them to pay. We don’t want harmony, we want vengeance. Hit them where it hurts most, then they will learn their lesson.

    How sad is that?

  6. Peter,

    You said,
    “Malicious remarks thrown my way….”

    what about your own description,

    “her thoughtless remarks that became her death knell.

    How does this compare? This is no longer about toilet issues. Most people has looked beyond that and that’s why there were so many comments.

  7. To Whatever,

    YOU are not getting the point.

    If what xx wrote were just the ramblings of an immature, then why oh why would the companies decide to drop her? Simply because of ONE Malaysian writing to them? A person who most probably not even buys their products anyway? Hey, they are Singapore companies and why do they care about this ONE Malaysian anyway? So ONE Malaysian bringing their attention to the mere ramblings of an immature can impact a decision as big as endorsing someone? You really ought to give them more credit than that.

    If a customer writes in to feedback to a restaurant manager about how he had been rudely treated by a waiter, then it’s up to the manager to decide to continue employing the waiter or not. So is the customer being malicious?

    A few years back a famous Taiwanese female writer and a Chinese ambassador to Singapore said/wrote something bad about Singapore and Singaporeans, many people took offense and wrote in or called in to the media to complain. So they are all malicious too?

    Jacky Chan just made one comment about Taiwan’s election and the Taiwanese took offense and boycott his movies. So they are being malicious too?

    Mind you, being a so-called “celebrity” (which apparently xx thinks of herself as one), whatever she says comes with consequences.

    And you said “Listen to her ipod post”. Yes, YOU do that. When someone is truly sorry, she will stop doing whatever misdeeds that she has been doing, with or without a verbal apology. Is saying “I’m sorry” but then went on with all the justifications and insistence that she wasn’t wrong at all considered as what you called “remorse”? Then perhaps you have very different definition about “remorse”.

    As for your last part about human rights charter, I applaud you for acting on your “own sense of responsibility”. Unfortunately not everyone thinks as such and thus the need for charter as guidance. In fact, if everyone can act on his/her “own sense of responsibility” and knows right from wrong, then there isn’t even a need for laws and regulations too.

  8. unfortunately, i have to agree with lilian’s comment that many people like her are still focusing on the petty details such as dissecting a phrase word by word and so on.

    anyway, i’m behind u on this pete. rock on

  9. To Pierce,

    I’m not in the position to say anything about your religion as I don’t know much about it and probably it is right that most things, if not all things, that we have are in a way privileges given by God.

    Putting the religious belief aside and just talking about the secular world, just want to point out that sometimes certain things are regarded as privileges because they have always been the way they are. Decades ago, to have a career opportunity was considered a privilege for women; to be able to go to some schools or sit in a bus was considered a privilege for the African Americans. Many people fought for what they believed in and lives were even lost just so that people today can recognize that those are the rights of women and African Americans, not privileges granted by the men and white people.

    And I believe that when Peter said “I will fight back”, it’s not about retaliation but more in the sense of fighting to better the lives for the disabled. And often enough, these fights begin with abolishing prejudiced propagation.

  10. It was wrong of the normal person to use the disabled toilet because a disabled person might need it more.

    BUT, it is very wrong of you to keep using your disability as a weapon. Think about the taxpayers’ money that goes into building such toilets for you.

  11. Dear Sarah,

    Firstly, I would’t say much about the religion thing because I am quoting that to Pete, not you. Since on the main page of the blog he mentioned that he is a RC Christian, it is therefore I quote on the same ground of belief a verse from the same origin – The Bible – and secondly, You miss my point. My point is in the last paragraph of my comment, and let me rephrase it again here, that is if Pete can collectively gain the support of all those people who has a heart, be it whatever religion they may be believing in, as long as there is enough numbers of support, commonality can bring issues to the spot light and since we are in a situation that the law can give people rights, it is therefore, as per my suggestion earlier, to make this issue – the facilities for PWDs – recognised by the law and therefore, “upgrade” it from a priviledge to a right. Pete should be clear what he is fighting for, that is facilities for PWD and in the best of my knowledge, this is still a priviledge and only the law maker can make this their right.

    Just as history dictate by your example, the African Americans fight to make it a law that grant them equality and this is realised by President Lincoln, where the political decision has been set forth and enacted as a law to make it happen.

    The fight for Pete is caveated on preservation and rights of having convenience and priority and distinction be given to PWDs, for that to happen, There has to be a law to be set forth to make people realised that PWDs has special needs that these needs has to be commonly acknowledged and provision has to be set to meet these needs.

    Please note that I do not object to Pete’s “fight”. Infact, I do support him in his endeavour. this is a challenge that he needs to take on and the challenge is the “fight” that he is in. It is for the rest of the priviledged Malaysian to discover. They need to make this discovery of the endeavour of this challenger and with this, to be convicted in their mind that PWDs need amenities and facilities that can allow them to function in the society.

    I, therefore encourage him to bring this matter “up” and to set his ultimate goal to fight to make it a LAW in Malaysia for publicly accessible building to provide the amenities, facilities and accessibility for the people with disability.

  12. The Uniform Building (Amendment) By-Law 34A 1991 of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 has provisions that accessible facilities for persons with disabilities are mandatory. The Code of Practice for Access for Disabled Persons to Public Buildings (First Revision) and Code of Practice for Access for Disabled Persons Outside Public Buildings (First Revision) provides the standard on construction of such environment.

  13. If anyone here thinks Pete’s “I will fight back” rhetoric falls in any way in the same league as Rosa Parks’..you are only deluding yourself. This “fight” is not taking place in a society dominated and usurped by a prejudiced and jaundiced society as the one Rosa Parks had to confront. This by far is a friendlier society and environment. Ignorant though some of us may be. But certainly that ignorance has no direct or indirect relation to the handicap of our fellow man. That ignorance is not a crime either. And indeed in a consumate relationship the handicap might even be a source of friendly jest, ridicule and bantter. Just as I often remark aloud the usual snipe about the Chinaman for instance, but quickly caveating with the clause, “hey I married a daughter of one”. Of course in friendly company and those who know me, offfence is not taken. I guess in the bloggers world you can choose to read that anyway you like and stick to your hostile view of it.

    In anycase, I think it is about time we moved out of XX’s world and dwell on the other question of right Vs privilege. I see some prospect of rather interesting debate here without hate and anger rearing its ugly head and driving the debate. Just because I choose to think that what has been provided as a privilege, and this goes against the very grain of the human rights charter, is no cause for my castration. As I have said I would rather I am given the opportunity to dispense my responsibility as it extrudes out of my recognition followed by my acknowledgement of the problem and, therefore, the need. If there is an ideal to attain that is what I would like to be able to and that is what I would like everyone to. But to assign any part of my decision making process to a set of laws and rules only makes me think that I am less than the person I am supposed to be. I might as well be a machine. Then I deny God Himself! And oh, I am not a religious guy, by the way.

    More often than not it is the non-recognition that leads one to ignorance and to live in a void. A lot of us, probably a majority, live in that void in respect of some or all of human endeavour. I dare say I too am guilty of such ignorance as some gays might say when they here me talk of them. Somehow it would seem like a lot of posts here tend to assume so much of whoever and make no provision for the possibility of that person not having recognised or acknowledged the problem or issues. That is when you get a right royal blogattle as this issue has turned out to be. (That is a word I coined and used for the second time to mean battle of the blogs)

  14. I will be the first to say that The Uniform Building (Amendment) By-Law 34A 1991 of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 and what ever code you might want to call is completely inadequate to meet the purpose for which it is there. Indeed you go to any housing estate even now being developed, without having to risk life and limb on the same road and pavement on which cars and other vehicles travel, one, let alone handicapped people or children, just cannot safely commute from home to even the neighbour’s house. Developers probably pay off the local councils to shortchange having to provide for proper walk ways where pedastrians and the handicaps can commute safely.

  15. peter, for what it’s worth i’m behind you too on this one. other than the lil incidence with ‘jess’, you’ve handled the whole situation with poise, humility and conscience. i am so your fan! kalau i in your shoes i would’ve reacted pretty much disgracefully what with all the petty, snide and downright cruel comments thrown around about you and kimberly in the drag queen wannabe’s (hehe i can’t help it la i said so! i can’t understand the amount of makeup she puts on. lepak kat rumah pon nak pakai foundation 3 inci ke) blog. xoxoxoxoxoxo

  16. To Pierce,

    Thanks for the clarifications and i certainly see your point. When it comes to the issue of right vs. privilege, it certainly depends on the point of views. If we are purely talking about legal rights, then it is true that nothing can be considered a right unless enacted into the law.

    However, there are other rights such as human rights or inalienable rights that may or may not be incorporated into the law, yet it’s an entitlement to every human being. But when we talk about privilege, it is often associated as an advantage over other groups of people. Then does the disabled having exclusive use of the accessible toilets signal an advantage over the non-disabled? Or is it a right because it potentially concerns the “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” of the disabled?

    To Whatever,

    I’m not a religious person too and that’s why i can’t comment anything when it comes to that.

    I fully understand your views that human behaviours or thoughts should not be defined by what’s provided in laws or charter. This would be correct for people who have sense of responsibility but like i said, unfortunately many people don’t. That’s why for those who don’t, those man-made rules may be a starting point.

    As for ignorant, i guess i have different views from you too. Of coz ignorant isn’t a crime, but it does lead to intolerance and subsequently wars. Then somehow, ignorant does handicap human beings and can have serious consequences.

    Anyway, we can always agree to disagree. 🙂

  17. Dear Peter,

    I believe you did the right thing.

    I once injured my leg, and had to walk around in a cast and crutches for a month or so. During that time, I realised how alone and terrible it can feel to be handicapped. It was an annoying and depressing time for me. I was so glad to get the cast off after the month was up. I can only imagine how much worse it is for you.

    Many people think they understand what it’s like to be handicapped. They probably don’t know the inconvenience it causes. Everything that I did usually – eating, bathing, going to the loo – became ALOT more difficult. During the month I was in crutches, I ached to play basketball, which was my favourite pastime.

    So yes I don’t think what you did was wrong, XX’s remarks showed her insensitivity and immaturity, and I wish people would be more aware that handicaps need every bit of help they can get.

    Wishing you all the best,
    Andrew

  18. If all of us would slow down for a second, stop to side anyone and think just solely on the basic humanity issue here, wouldnt you give way to someone who is more in need than you? Come on! You would out of pure courtesy and good manners (if your mom did teach you a thing or two about that) to let an old po po or a pregnant lady to go before you even though you are queuing there first. Just becasue that is the RIGHT thing to do. Using a handicapped toilet is NOT the right thing to do. PERIOD. Unless you are telling me you are a selfish, ignorant, uneducated, unpolished, ‘mommy never taught me manners”, stupid piece of shit, then ok you are damn right!

    If I was there I will just pull her ears close to my mouth and shouted into her silly little head to get it right! But hey maybe she is handicapped after all. In the head!

  19. I feel you have done wrong wrong.
    It is wrong to use your disability as a weapon- stop emphasizing it, we know that alright?
    Whatever religion you are in, for God’s sake, pls respect yourself & others. XX may not be right but you are certainly no matter
    Pls do some soul-searching else no amount of praying or religion is going to make you a better person.
    Very wrong, very wrong.

  20. You did nothing wrong. Keep the faith.
    And perhaps I’m being too judgmental here, but sometimes one has to be prepared for the consequences of one’s words. In this case our friend losing her sponsors.
    And this is just me, but if you can call that a job, and even a career, and cry over losing a sponsor pulling out for babbling childish words, then one’s gotta really get a life and do something useful.

  21. Dear Sarah,

    That question is for the conscience of all the priviledged people. Only when one knew and realise that they are priviledged, they can make the right decision.

    If anyone have conscience, he/she will know that by occupying the facilities which was prepared by the PWDs.

    Dear Pete,

    I think in the same law, there are some clauses which allow exemption of having not the facilities for PWDs. Most of the building have tried to acquire such exemption.

    Pierce
    web log http://blog.kuchingfest.com
    wap log http://wapblog.kuchingfest.com

  22. I see that you still do not find your point of view to be unreasonable. By which, I mean your argument being deeply flawed and illogical. The laws and chapters you have quoted does not even remotely apply to this issue. The needs of the disabled cannot be the factor depriving the satisfaction of the needs of the able-bodied, especially when the able bodied are the main providers for the facilities that meet the needs of the disabled. There is no basis for you to demand that the toilets be used exclusively by the disabled.

    You are fighting for a “right” that you do not have the right to even ask for. The equivalent of your crusade that of the poor insisting on the lifestyle of the middle income. The poor should only demand to be allowed to make a living, and not expect a comfortable lifestyle. You can only demand that your needs be met by the existence of handicap facilities, and not the exclusive use of the facilities.

    Also, I do not find the depiction of the incident involving Xiaxue’s brother and the handicap in the toilet to be wicked. Why should the man in the toilet be allowed to scold her brother when it was he who had forgotten to lock the door? If this is wicked, I think you have crossed the line from asking for equal treatment for the diabled to demanding for priviledged treatment for the disabled.

    As much as I sympathize with the situation the disabled are in, I do not think the disabled should be given such priviledges.

  23. Just a issue with accessibility of a different kind here, since I am in no mood to comment on what’s happening:

    If you find that your comment spans more than half a page, please consider blogging about it. If you do not have a blog, please consider getting one. It doesn’t have to be fancy—Blogger will do.

    Consider using TrackBack—contrary to popular belief, you do not need to register to use a TrackBack service to send trackbacks to your blog entry—you only need the service if you want to receive TrackBack pings, not send ’em. Consider using this tool, or just leave your blog link here as a comment. A simple “I’ve said my say here, go read it,” is fine.

    Because honestly? Some of the stuff in here was tl;dr to be considered comments. Comments are generally short and succint; a few of these entries weren’t.

    Incidentally, this was a interesting counterpoint to Peter’s… issue against a certain handicapped-dissing blogger. I don’t necessarily agree with her or with Peter, but it’s there.

  24. Dear El,

    If we don’t make handicap facilities exclusive, then that won’t change anything. Able people would just abuse the system and use it all the time.

    You could argue and say “If I see a handicapped person, I’ll definitely let him/her use it first.” But if you’re in the toilet, you can’t see who’s waiting outside unless you’ve X-Ray vision. And those few minutes that you’re in the toilet, which might not seem long to you, might be worth much longer to a handicapped person who needs all the time he can get to adjust his position to do his business.

    And as for Xiaxue’s brother, I think he should learn to knock on doors before opening them.

    Regards,
    Andrew

  25. Would you have enjoyed it if someone went around to email bad stuff about you or mistakes you made behind your back and cause you to lose fund-raising for the hospice?

    I doubt you would enjoy it.

    Why do that to others what you would not want to experience yourself? Why be that sneaky rat that bites ppl’s backs?

    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about things. Even if you disagree with XX, at most write an counter-argument on your belief is enough right? Why must go email her sponsers and various organisations regarding it?

    Dont think that was a honourable thing to do as a human being, less a man following god.

  26. There is a difference between being a “rat” and being pro-active about something you believe in. Edmurd Burke once said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. Xiaxue is an insensitive blogger, whose offhand remarks about race, religion and disabilities have offended lots of people. Sooner or later someone else would have informed Xiaxue’s endorsers.

    And give the companies some credit. They’re not mindless simpletons – they don’t stop endorsing someone without good cause.

  27. “Wrong is still wrong no matter what.” Correct, what you did to Xiaxue is wrong, and how you conducted yourself in that exchange with Jess was wrong too.

    If a woman having her period, or in your words, “because menses was dribbling down her thighs” isn’t allowed to used the disabled restroom when no one else was in need of using it, I don’t see why you expect everyone to believe in the very cause you campaign for.

    You expect us to be sensitive to your needs, but what about you being sensitive to the needs of others too?

    If you want the non-disabled to be aware and take action, I suggest you stop attacking anyone else, because you’re simply making matters worse. In fact, you are such a bad spokesperson for PWD, I am wondering why no one has written to the related authorities and organisations to stop you from being a black sheep to the disabled community. Boycott bad models of society? Were you talking about yourself? I see so many people making nonsensical posts about how disabled people don’t deserve their rights because of stupid people like you, who apparently works with big companies to campaign for the rights of the disabled, but doesn’t even have the ability to connect and work well with the non-disabled, the very much needed audience for your campaigns to work. So please, for the love of god, just stop this already.

    And no, TP, I’m sure not all the lame, sick, old, pregnant, blind (and) deaf are with Peter, because I know for sure, some women are outraged with his insensitive comments to us women.

  28. I am neither Malaysian nor Singaporean. I am a Christian Indonesian (mix between Chinese and Malay) living in the US. I was offended by Xiaxue in her last post about her KL trip. Her attitude towards the Malay and the Arab women in the picture was disgusting. I also understand why you, Peter, got offended by her recent post about disabled toilet. What she said is WRONG and she should apologize.

    However, it was such a cheap shot to email her sponsors and all other related organizations. Why didn’t you confront Xiaxue at the very first place if you don’t like what she said about PWD and your precious toilet? Why should you offend other women with this phrase: “menses was dribbling down her thighs”? I’m so sick of you, Peter, for saying something so low against all women.

    And please don’t say that you are sorry and you already made a confession and insert all that bible scriptures to justify what you have done. It is people like you, Peter, that make Christianity seems so ridiculous to other people. You think once you confessed to the priest and do your prayers then you’re done?

    I don’t care what you’re going to do in the future but please don’t overuse the word “Jesus” or “Christianity” just to back you up or to make your point. Stop mixing religion with other things that you justify!

    I read your posts recently and I don’t understand why you sound so aggressive in blogging about “fighting back”.

    Why so much anger?

    Do you regret your destiny?

    Do you regret every single second you spent on that wheelchair and throw your bursting anger to the rest of us?

    Don’t go to church to confessed your sin every week or so and then blog about it here. Help yourself will you and maybe just go find a psychiatric help.

    I am disgusted with Xiaxue but I am more disgusted with you, Peter, for exploiting Christianity.

    Grow up! Find a real job than blogging about shitload of crap.

  29. i believe that government, social/charity organizations, institutions such as schools are there to provide a platform to try and create an equal playing field for all, physically abled and disabled. in this sense, i believe in equality. i believe in doing everything we can to ensure that the disabled can lay claim to everything that those without disabilities are s-called entitled to.

    while i believe in creating level playing field and to ensure that everyone has a right to equal treatment, i do not believe in handing out the dole, or giving special treatment to the physically disabled. what’s more important is for the society to accept these people as part of them, and allow them to integrate into the whole scheme of things seamlessly, so that we do not actually see them as being lesser, or being disabled. that’s my belief.

    of course, that’s being truly idealistic. being physically disabled, there will be times when we have to make special allowances, when we have to go something over and above the usual to ensure that their needs are met. but this aside, i believe in being sensitive to everyone’s needs, and i do not fancy the thought of the physically disabled using their disabilities to do emotional blackmail, or to demand for privileges all the while claiming these to be their rights.

    xx may be immatured, but imho, she’s not wrong to say that nobody has the right to always-clean and always-available public toilets. and i’ll be the second [can’t be the first, since xx has already said her piece out loud…] to say that i too use the handicapped loo. but of course, i checked to make sure that there’s no handicapped person in clear view who might be needing to use the loo.

    don’t get me wrong. i’m all for creating a society that tries to ensure that the physically disabled community can fit in as well as they possibly can, i.e. make public transport, buildings, etc… accessible to them… but i draw the line at the physically disabled people exploiting their handicap.

  30. comments go any longer, can join nanowrimo and compile a book of arguments adi. hehe.

    i think when people see the word ‘fight’, ppl imagine swords and machine guns being pulled out.

    i had to fight my mum to allow her to extend my curfew time too you know. of course, i didn’t use any weaponry lah. so, *you get what i mean?*

  31. Wah Liao!!! I cant believe these people?!!

    Mr My 2 cents worth! Why the hell are you even speaking bad about other people if you believe in the almighty christianity being holier than thou??? Shouldnt you be a good example and show the rest of us how a good Christian should be according to you? Dont you have any compassion? Or you are just too good a person that you dont make any mistakes in life? Apologies are already done. Unless you are saying you havent done anything wrong in your life, or you just cant repent and need someone to shout down your neck and ask you to change your evil ways? If you are going to be a reflection of God’s people, I think you can just kill yourself right now.

    And to all you damn supporters of XX coming here to flame Peter, at least he is a gentleman who admits wrong for saying the wrong things. Will you EVER expect it out of XX? EVER? Has she ever said sorry for being such an insensitive, racist, biatch who twist the truth to make herself look good? That alone speaks volumes to what she really is and to those blindly supporting her.

  32. While I can agree that a large amount of problems lies in the ableist practices of society, and no doubt society, no matter how enlightened we might like to think it is, is still stuck in a mindset of the disabled as second-class citizens, how, pray tell, does moving from privileging the abled to privileging the disabled through making a disabled toilet exclusive to wheelchair bound users (note that unlike what you may want to believe, a disabled-friendly toilet is not very friendly to a blind person–where are the guides to lead him to the bowl, or the sink??–and therefore a disabled-friendly toilet is a misnomer), supposed to equalize society?

    Take for example, the ridiculous system for the wheelchair lifts at CityLink Mall. If a wheelchair bound person wants to use it to get to the Esplanade, they have to call the security guard to operate it for them. It takes almost 15 minutes for the guard to arrive, start up the lift, load the person on and operate it. Not only is it a waste of time, but also it serves to highlight the wheelchair bound person as different. How is this productive to the cause of integrating him/her seamlessly into society? Should you lock a toilet and only open it when the wheelchair bound person needs it? What if he’s in a hurry? By the time the security guard arrives and unlocks it for them, wouldn’t the poor person have wasted the same amount of time that he/she would have if they had been waiting for the person inside to get out?

    What about the embarrassment of having to wait for the guard to open the door, and people staring at him/her as s/he waits?

    The point of this rather lengthy diatribe is that if you continue to pursue policies and actions that privilege one group over another, you aren’t achieving equality. Instead, you achieve an accentuation of difference. And this is as counterproductive, if not more so, than a seamless integration based on equal access for ALL.

  33. Oh yes, and by the way, they haven’t withdrawn their endorsement. One will continue to sponsor her nails, while the other has just asked her to temporarily take down the banner. Looks like they don’t think you had that much of a point, after all.

    By the way, lose the victim mentality. It shows absolutely no shred of personal dignity.

  34. My 2 Cents

    Did you steal my posting or should I pay you a royalty to say “ditto”! There is nothing that you said there that I could find any objection to….My compliments for something well said. I concur wholeheartedly.

    But whether or not Peter understands wholeheartedly or not I really cannot tell. Unless one is filled with so much hate and anger, it is not too difficult to bring this matter to a closure if love that Jesus teaches were to prevail. Confessions and prayers for the most part is only a ritual unfortunately.

  35. i think you’ve failed to see the point. you’ve attibute the fiasco to a ‘diabled rights’ issue. unfortunately, the issue here is really about rude people not the disabled. it’s just unfortunate that the person is disabled. i think the blogger in question has expressed the issue quite appropriately.

  36. FUCK YOU!!!
    Do u malaysian have brain?
    She had a disclaimer or do u not know what a DISCLAIMER was?!!!
    OMG!!!
    Stop acting pitiful or sainty just to get support to bully a little gal!
    She already said that its targetted at those 2 individuals not YOU this mother fucker!
    You deserved to be WHEEL BOUNDED all your fucking LIFE!!!
    Everything have a cause…. and this is what you get!!!
    I bet you will not dare post this online!!! But it doesn’t matter cos this MSG is for YOU!!! Unless you are blind!
    Sometimes facts can be hurting… but please grow up!
    BE mature! Reflecting facts is nothing wrong you know?
    And with such a malicious heart, who do you think you are to represent the disabilities to revoke against HER?
    MOther teresa?!!! FUCK YOU!!!
    And if you are free… go cut your fucking hair, who will want your stupid hair? For charity? i bet its for your own pleasure..wanting others to think you are some philantrophist!!!
    I bet the comment list is way longer full of complaints against U!!!… just that you are a coward wheel-substitute walking freak (ONLY IF U CAN WALK) who delete them all….
    She have an image to upkeep..being veri nice to u on her blog… BUT SORRY i cannot stand your immaturity…. AND i dun have endorsement for u to cancel!! SO use your “it’s always work” method by all means…. STILL… FUCK YOU!!!

  37. Dear Peter,

    Somehow u don’t get it. yes watever u championed for the disabled is laudable but then wat u have erred is to attack another person. Attack the cause not the person. How many people would it take to finally get u to see the truth!?! i am sure your pastor would have agreed with me. You have so much anger and hatred inside you and why is tt so? Hasnt ur religion taught u to be more forgiving? why are you going on n on abt this? shes just a young teenager whereas u can be considered to be matured.
    if u are going to continue ur ways, u will only fail to achieve what u have set out to do and make people believe in less n less of your cause as well as your character.
    C’mon, live and let die…u have been courageous in facing life all this while despite what u have gone through and continue to let tt courage show. let this fiasco not be ur downfall…u are just only emphasizing how pitiful u are and how bitter u are abt ur conditions…people face adversities everyday..its how they learn to face it that makes them a stronger person and not how they choose to harm another person tt makes them a great man.
    Please, calm down for once, listen to no one but ur heart, think of ur mum….would she agree with what u had done ( by hurting someone inorder to accomplish something)….stop being so vengeful…there is enough sufferings in this world…follow ur teachings Peter and help the world to be a betta place instead of creating an additional couple of vengeful souls.
    Concentrate on ur cause and think not of your pride anymore. I hope u heed my advice and not let the other disableds be put in bad light (they deserve encouragement and respect but not sympathy).

    Meanwhile, u take care and i wish u well. Remember Peter, it is those who have great hearts tt deserves the most respect (Just like ur God).

    PS: this is a personal letter to you. You may choose not to publish it.

  38. matecik, no. we are not all xiaxue’s fans/supporters. we’re just appalled at the way peter has conducted himself. to give peter some credit, he did apologise TO JESS, albeit coming across as somewhat insincere, but did KIMBERLY CUN who insulted JESS’S ABILITY TO PARENT/INTELLIGENCE apologise? NO. is xiaxue going to apologise? NO. but wait a minute, she didn’t insult disabled people, she merely condoned the behaviour of a rude person.

  39. From Singapore’s Sunday Times

    “By the end of last week, Kimage had received about 300 e-mail messages, prompting it to suspend its association with Ms Cheng”.

    So it wasn’t just one man’s vigilante email who made them change their minds, ok?

  40. To the person who very much wanna f*ck Peter (“FUCKYOU PETER”):

    1. I bet the 2 convicted bloggers who wrote the racist remarks had disclaimer too. Too bad that Singapore court didn’t understand “what a DISCLAIMER was?!!! OMG!!!”

    2. Last I check, 21-year-old female who has a diploma, can vote, work, and drink are not considered as little gal anymore.

    3. Sweeping comments are NEVER targetted at individuals. If I’m a Caucasian and point my finger at you saying “you f*cking stupid Chinese, you think you have the right to come to my country and take our job opportunities”, am I targetting at YOU or making a sweeping insulting remarks at all Chinese or even all immigrants?

    4. I see, for your level of logic, cursing people can get across a valid point very well huh? Then let’s use YOUR level of logic here too: maybe those who think that wheelchair-bound people deserved to be the way they are should be struck with misfortune too on themselves or their loved ones, and then we’ll hear what they’d say again.

    5. You are right, everything has a cause. That “little gal” of yours reaped what she sowed.

    6. You are right again that “Sometimes facts can be hurting…” So here’s the FACT: if you are a celebrity or put anything on the public domain, you gotta be prepared to be liable for what you wrote/said. If you don’t know the law well enough, at least “please grow up!”

    7. Oh, so whoever does charity by doing something publicly is purely “for your own pleasure” huh? So I guess all your Singapore Media Corp artists must have gotten a lot of pleasures out of all those broadcasted charity shows.

    8. Ya, ya, you bet the negative comments are deleted by Peter. I wonder given someone’s past record of amending the words on her own posts and comments, and also moderating her comment box now, what’s the odd of HER deleting the negative comments towards her leh? I can take this bet anytime.

    9. For someone who has “an image to upkeep”, she sure uses a lot of foul languages and writes nasty things about others. Oops, it must be my mistake. You weren’t talking about a good image but an image of writing crap and insulting people. Ok, I get it.

    10. Hmmm, how about I call you names and write bolded coloured capitalized “f*uck you” in extra big fonts all over my post and then claim that, hey, I’m being “veri nice to u on [my] blog”.

    For a person who has shown your own immaturity with your comments and yet telling others to grow up with all the vulgar words, you had sure made your points. Oh, and I’m not even gonna answer your question about whether or not “malaysian have brain”. This has nothing to do with countries and apparently someone has already successfully snared those brainless readers into thinking so in her rallying post.

  41. verdict is out. the sunday times is out. there is nothing wrong with able-bodied using the disabled washrooms, so long as they give priority. this is even backed by two organisations that represents the disabled.

    “the society for the physically disabled as well as the handicaps welfare association see nothing wrong with sharing the loos as long as the able-bodied give priority to the disabled.”

    you must be regretting you didn’t speak to the sunday times now.

  42. haha you must be very naive if you believe everything the papers say andrea, or don’t know the approach of the journalist. do you even know the history of the straits times?

    this is too funny and sad at the same time. excuses and more lame excuses for people who nip to the handicap toilets when no one is looking.

  43. To SOMEONE

    I see that you are in the same league as this blogger.

    What do you mean by “I bet the 2 convicted bloggers who wrote the racist remarks had disclaimer too. Too bad that Singapore court didn’t understand “what a DISCLAIMER was?!!! OMG!!!” This is simply a myopic statement coming out from a immature being. In every court case, there has to be substantial and concrete evidence. How wonderful the world will be if anyone can just simply say “I bet…..” Please research thoroughly to back your feeble sentences.

    Like this blogger, I guess your level of understanding and maturity does not match up to any general adults, or for that matter, does not even match up to any of our intelligent Singapore kids. “Little gal” does not mean that “its not a 21-year-old female who has a diploma, can vote, work, and drink…”. How shallow can you get? By simply lifting others’ words and interpret in your own way. Its laughable at the way you are so adamant that “little gal” must mean little gal. Sometimes I wonder where did you get your intelligence to even read? I wonder.

    Your fundamentals do not even establish themselves. It is pointless to continue argue with your shallowness. Perharps one day, just one day, when you are mature enough to surf the net and read blogs, then I will continue to criticise your frivious comments and your little pathetic thoughts.

  44. peter, peter…

    why don’t you just let it go already? you are making many people think you are an attention seeking ass, and somehow, you are.

    disability as your weapon? that shouldn’t be the case.

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