The bathroom is a potential hazard. I discovered that on Monday. Just after lathering myself, my muscles went into spasms. My legs flexed. My body tensed. My buttocks slipped off the chair. I landed on the floor with a thud. It happened so fast. There was no time to react. My head slammed into the corner of the doorway and ramp.

I laid on the floor, naked and slippery. The impact left me dazed for a moment. The shower was still running. My right cheek and forehead throbbed. I ran my index finger across my face. My cheek was swollen and tender. There was a deep gash on the nose between the eyes. My left brow was swollen and hurting too. I was unsure if I had injured myself elsewhere. I have little sensation from chest down.

Everything was slippery. I knew that I needed to rinse away the lather off me first before anything else. After I was done, I patted myself dry with a towel. Still, I had trouble dragging myself out from the bathroom. I could not get a good grip on the wet floor tiles. I sat on a sarung and used the floormat for traction.

The scent of blood wafted in my nostrils. I dabbed to towel on my nose where the skin was broken. It was bleeding. The mid part of my face ached. I wanted to put on a sarong first. It was difficult to open the drawer from the position I was in. After a few tries, I got a clean sarong out and struggled into it.

The phone was on the bed. When I finally dragged myself there, I dialled Peter’s number. Elaine answered. The clock showed 2am. I told her I fell off the chair and needed her father to assist me up. Peter lived just one floor below and had the keys to my apartment. He came a short while later and helped me back onto the wheelchair.

After I settled down and recovered my composure, I realised that it could have been worse. I could have suffered a broken nose but that was least of the problem. That knock on the head could result in a concussion. I could have lost consciousness. As I live alone, it could have been days before I was discovered. Scary notion that.

Rights-Based Approach To Disability

Official speeches do not interest me normally. I have heard one too many to know that they are usually rehashed and rephrased versions of feel-good stories to suit the occasion. However, the speech by Cik Norani Mohd. Hashim, Pengarah Bahagian OKU of the Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat during the conclusion of a training that I attended at Bandar Baru Sentul recently perked my attention. The four keyphrases in her speech that grabbed my interest were rights-based approach, Independent Living, Disability Equality Training and Biwako Millenium Framework (BMF).

According to Cik Norani, the Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Malaysia (JKMM) is moving away from the welfare-based approach to a rights-based one. This is encouraging news especially coming straight from the section director in a government department. A rights-based approach looks at the disabled person as a citizen with full rights equal to that of non-disabled citizens. They are involved in all decision-making processes that affect them. Every effort is made to ensure that they can participate in the activities of the society without hindrances. These include equal access to health care, education, employment, political, cultural and social activities that most people take for granted.

This approach recognises that each and every human being is unique and has varying degrees of ability. Irrespective of that, each is treated fairly by means of a social support system that takes into account the different needs and make up for it accordingly. Good examples are elevators that incorporate audio, visual and sensory devices to cater to the needs of wheelchair users, blind, deaf and non-disabled passengers. These include the appropriate positioning of the control panel for the convenience of wheelchair users, announcement and Braille buttons for the blind and visual display for the deaf.

The Biwako Millenium Framework (BMF) further reaffirms rights of disabled persons by outlining issues, targets and strategies in creating an inclusive barrier-free and rights-based society for people with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific. BMF is an inter-governmental resolution spearheaded by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). According to the website, Asia and the Pacific have 400 million disabled persons, “by far the largest number of people with disabilities in the world. Most of them are poor, their concerns unknown and their rights overlooked.”

While I see the commitment by the JKMM, a department under the Kementerian Wanita, Keluarga dan Pembangunan Masyarakat, in implementing non-handicapping policies and striving to fulfil the issues raised in BMF , I have yet to see the same firm commitment from other relevant ministries and government agencies in supporting this initiative. In this sense, the JKMM and the ministry that it is under should work more proactively in garnering commitment from other ministries and see to it that objectives of the BMF are met within the timeframe agreed upon.

Going into 2007, the JKMM will be supporting Independent Living programmes run by NGOs with personnel trained in this field - an ongoing project initiated in 2005. At the same time, the second series of Disability Equality Training will be conducted for leaders in the disability movement so that they will be able to push the concept of equality for disabled persons to members of their respective organisations and the community. These all are organised with technical support and together with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Malaysia.

The road to attaining equality for disabled persons is still a long one lined with innumerable obstacles. The largest of those obstacles is attitudinal barrier. It is not easy to change deep-rooted perceptions and misconceptions about disability. Society can play its part and help hasten the process of mainstreaming disability by discarding patronizing and paternalistic ways of thinking and replacing them with a rights-based approach.

Mack and I had a brief chat yesterday regarding his entry I go, you no go in MonsterBlog. He recounted to me about Pak Ali who uses a wheelchair and “was waiting for his son to come pick him up and return to their home in Kampung Baru, and his son was running late. He felt bad that he had to trouble his son, but what can he do. Public transport is out of the question for him.”

Mack related how Pak Ali kept repeating that he “menyusahkan orang” because of his need for assistance and transport. There was a tinge of sadness in me when I read Mack’s message in MSN. There was no reason for Pak Ali to feel sorry whatsoever. It was not his fault that the public transport system did not make available facilities to accommodate his condition.

It has been ingrained in us that people with different needs are an inconvenience to other people. In truth, the people who have to apologise are those who did not see that needs such as Pak Ali’s are provided for. These are the myopic people in authority, officials and planners who have failed to perform to the fullest the social responsibilities that they were entrusted with.

Disabled persons are not an aberration of society. They are victims of mistaken beliefs by the majority that interprets their rights as societal burdens. Such prejudices have been perpetrated for so long that it has come to be accepted as the norm. Disabled persons are made to feel that their inability to participate fully in society is caused by their impairments rather than the unsuitable and inadequate set-up that surrounds them.

On a deeper level, the biggest challenge for disabled persons is not the environmental obstacles that they have to overcome. It is the way of thinking that sees them as people who need to be helped and treats them as such. This is the kind of mentality that is truly disabling. In many instances, such belief reduces disabled persons to charity cases, making them perpetually dependent on the mercy and generosity of the people around them to survive.

In helping disabled persons the ultimate and the most useful assistance must be one that helps him grow as a person. In Pak Ali’s case, the real assistance is not in helping to push him around in his wheelchair but in providing an environment that allows him to be as independent as possible and one that requires very little intervention from others. A barrier-free Malaysia in terms of environment and public transport will definitely make Pak Ali’s life and those of people like him more meaningful.

The following is the memorandum presented to Rein Westra, CEO of Rapid KL. It was emailed and delivered by hand to Rapid KL on November 6, 2006. This document was prepared and the contents endorsed by sixteen Non-Governmental Organisations serving people with disabilities. The NGOs are:

Persatuan Damai Orang-Orang Kurang Upaya Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan
Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled
Malaysian Spinal Injuries Association
Persatuan Mobiliti Kuala Lumpur & Selangor
Persatuan Orang-Orang Cacat Anggota Malaysia
Society of the Blind Malaysia
Malaysian Association of the Blind
Society of the Chinese Disabled Persons Malaysia
Persatuan Christian Shuang Fu Untuk Orang Kurang Upaya
Persatuan Pemulihan Orang Cacat Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan
Selangor Cheshire Home
Malaysian Information Network on Disabilities
Dignity & Services
United Voice (Self-Advocacy Society of Persons with Learning Disabilities Selangor & Kuala Lumpur)
Selangor Council for Welfare and Social Development
Majlis Paralimpik Malaysia
Rukun Tetangga SS2B

To: Mr. Rein Westra, Chief Executive Officer, Rapid KL
From: Barrier-free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT)
Subject: Memorandum to Rapid KL Regarding Accessible Buses
Date: 3 November 2006

Introduction
Mobility is one of the most crucial factors in the rehabilitation of disabled persons. It contributes to their life in dignity and to their standard of living. It is linked to general environmental accessibility. There should not be discrimination against the disabled in the provision of public transportation services, and there should be specific measures to enable them to move freely and access the workplace and other public places.

Public transport in Malaysia, specifically buses, are not accessible to disabled persons using wheelchairs and do not have facilities to make it convenient for the blind and deaf to utilise this service conveniently. Likewise, senior citizens, pregnant women and adults with prams face difficulties when using buses.

This inaccessibility has marginalised disabled persons and those with mobility impairments. Disabled persons are unable to attend formal education in schools. Those who possess qualifications are unable to find gainful employment. They are unable to move around conveniently and therefore are not only deprived from benefiting from the progress of the nation but also are unable to contribute meaningfully in the development as well.

The Issue
Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RAPID KL) is the company tasked with providing an integrated public transport system in the Klang Valley incorporating rail and bus services. We understand that Rapid KL is in the process of acquiring 1,000 buses to complement and replace the current fleet. Unfortunately, we were informed that only 100 buses are accessible. This development is most alarming.

Disabled persons as citizens of Malaysia have the right to benefit from equal access to services and opportunities. Without accessible public transport, disabled persons have few opportunities to access other crucial services such as health care and education.

We call on Rapid KL to :-

• Recognise that disabled persons are consumers who have the right to the same services as others,
• Take immediate steps to incorporate the needs of disabled persons in all planning and decision making,
• Ensure that ALL new buses are accessible (non-step) buses to allow easy access to ALL persons ,
• Work with the local authorities to ensure that ALL bus stops be made accessible to benefit ALL persons,
• Consult and involve disabled persons in all policies affecting them

• Make known its Short Term and Long Term Action Plans with specific time frames and goals ( e.g. 5 Year Action Plan, 10 Year Action Plan ) to achieve 100 % barrier free buses for ALL within the set time frame.

Below, we outline the essential points we want included to make public buses accessible to all:

Basic principles
• People require access to transport to and from all parts of the Klang Valley and Putra Jaya
• The vast majority of disabled persons live throughout the community
• To privilege one group or area of residence is to discriminate against others, and therefore,
there shall be no restriction or prioritisation of particular routes

Bus stations and bus stops
Accessibility:
• All bus stations and bus stops shall be accessible to wheelchair users
• Walkways leading to bus stations and bus stops shall be accessible
Safety
• Pedestrian crossings shall be provided in the vicinity of bus stations and bus stops, and shall be accessible and appropriately signed
• Shelters shall be provided at all bus stops
Signage
• Signs shall be clear, visible and easily read by people with low vision and people with learning disabilities
• Bus timetables shall be provided in large print, and at a level to ensure that all people can read the information
• At bus stops used by buses for several routes, buses shall use fixed stops so that people, especially the visually impaired and those with wheelchairs, can queue in advance at the correct stop
• At large bus stops, approaching buses shall be announced by number and destination, both audibly and visually
• Changes of and delays in bus arrival and departure times, including information of number and destination, shall be displayed by audio and visual means
Toilets
• Bus stations shall have accessible toilets

Buses
External signs
• Buses shall be prominently labeled with the international symbol of accessibility
Accessibility
• Buses shall be of the low floor, non- step type, with ramps to allow easy access
• Ramps shall be made of strong, durable material, and be designed to ensure their safe use for both manual and electric wheelchairs
• Ramps shall not be designed in ways that obstruct small front wheels
• Doors shall be wide enough for manual and electric wheelchairs
Inside buses
• There shall be sufficient space inside buses to enable full maneuverability
• There shall be sufficient space to park wheelchairs inside the bus
• Priority seats with folding chairs shall be clearly labeled

Safety
• There shall be a restraining system, that is, safety-belt, floor-based restrainers, to secure wheelchairs

Communication
• Bells or buzzers shall be positioned at a level to enable their use by a person in a wheelchair
• Bells and buzzers shall be placed in the same position in all buses for convenience for people with vision impairment
• Bells and buzzers shall be lit for people with hearing loss
• Approaching bus stops shall always be announced clearly
• Approaching bus stops shall be visually displayed.

Driver responsibilities and training
• Drivers shall insist that people move to make space to allow people in wheelchairs to move into position and secure chairs
• Drivers shall not move until they are assured that the wheelchair is secured
• Drivers shall ensure that people with vision impairment, pregnant women, the elderly, and others with special needs have the opportunity to be seated
• Buses shall carry first-aid kits
• Drivers shall be trained to use first aid kits
• Drivers shall be trained to provide appropriate assistance to people who are blind, and physical disabilities, or in other ways require assistance
• Proper training of drivers shall be provided with the involvement of people with disabilities

This is by no means an exhaustive list. We not only want accessible buses but we also want such facilities to be safe. One point that we want you to note is that accessible buses can be used by all, but non-accessible buses can only be used by a certain segment of society and deprive those with mobility impairments from using it.

There is no excuse not to make public transport to serve all. As Malaysia strives to be a developed nation by 2020, we inevitably have to ensure that our standard of living will be on par with, or better than, those currently enjoyed in developed nations.

Related entries:
MoNSTerBlog - November 21, 2006: The Right To Ride
100 Buses In 30 Days - The Day Of Reckoning
Malaysian Going To Outer Space, Disabled Persons Still Stuck At Home
MoNSTerBlog - September 26, 2006: All Eyes on Rapid KL - 100 Accessible Buses In 30 Days
NST - September 25, 2006: Disabled want better access to public transport
Wheelchair-Unfriendly Rapid KL Buses

The Right To Ride

Hendak seribu daya, tak hendak seribu dalih. This is the impression that members of Barrier-Free and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) felt after a recent closed-door meeting with Rein Westra, CEO of Rapid KL. That meeting was the result of the campaign by BEAT to highlight that none of the Rapid KL buses are accessible to wheelchair users. BEAT is an informal coalition of sixteen NGOs serving persons with various impairments.

During the campaign at the Bangsar LRT Station on September 24, NST reported that “a RapidKL spokesperson said the transport company had bought 100 disabled-friendly buses with ramps. These would be delivered next month.” Nearly two months have passed and all BEAT members have seen are only printouts of the said buses. Whether these buses have actually been ordered is anybody’s guess.

However, the most unacceptable part was the excuses given to justify why Rapid KL still cannot provide accessible bus service in the Klang Valley. Among the reasons given were that there was not enough time to look into the needs of all quarters when the purchase of the buses was initiated, that pavements in many parts of the city are in poor condition, the high cost for the repairs and the time needed to repair them. Throughout the two-hour meeting, there never was an iota of commitment to provide accessible buses on a full-scale basis.

This all boils down to the chicken or egg issue. Rapid KL said that even if they have the money for such buses it is pointless to put them on the roads because the bad pavements will prevent wheelchair users from getting into the buses. On the other hand, local governments do not see the need to upgrade the pavements to cater to such buses when none is in service. How can there ever be a solution when such paradoxes are being perpetuated?

Rapid KL stated that they ordered 1000 new buses. Of that amount, only 100 are fitted with accessible features such as no step, low floor and ramp. Assuming that the buses have been ordered and will be put into service soon, and pavements repaired and upgraded, the numbers are still insufficient to serve all routes effectively. To just put the buses on one or several routes out of the 179 that Rapid KL is currently operating is not a solution. There will not be enough frequency and interconnectivity to make it workable. Moreover, disabled persons do not go out at certain times only or live in one or two communities. They are scattered all over the Klang Valley.

Twelve years ago, a group of wheelchair users protested against Star LRT for not taking their needs into consideration. Twelve years later Star LRT, now renamed the Ampang and Sri Petaling Line, still does not have facilities for wheelchair users. Have they not waited long enough? How long more should they wait? To add to the mobility woes of wheelchair users, KL Monorail and the newly delivered Rapid KL buses are equally inaccessible.

Without convenient ways to move about, less disabled persons lose out on education and career opportunities. Severely disabled persons are forced to stay at home most of the time. There are few opportunities for self-development, socialising and participating in activities that can lead to fulfilling lives. They are further marginalised by the non-barrier-free environment in the areas that they live in. We can only try buy we will never fully understand the desolation that these people feel being cut off from the society that they are part of. It is truly a lonely world for them with only four walls as constant companions.

Accessible public transport, along with education, health care and barrier-free environment are basic rights that we as a society must provide to our own who need it. Moreover, such buses not only benefit wheelchair users but people with mobility problems like senior citizens and pregnant women. Does it not make better sense to use buses that serve everybody than those that favour people with good mobility only?

What are we effectively telling people who depend on such modes of transportation when we cite cost and a thousand other reasons as to why they are being denied such facilities? That they are not worth our time, effort and money? The energy spent to come out with various negative excuses could have been put to more productive use in looking for workable solutions. Why are the people who manage these services not doing that? Why the resistance? These are questions begging answers.