Cries of Wheelchair Users in Malaysia - Rapid KL, Are You Listening?

December 3rd, 2006 - Sunday (511 views)

Today is the International Day of Disabled Persons. Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT), an informal coalition comprising sixteen NGOs of disabled persons, marked this day by appealing that public transport operators, specifically Rapid KL, make all their buses accessible. Without access to public transport, disabled persons are not able to lead a meaningful life. They are not able to participate in social, political, economical, educational and cultural activities in society. They become marginalised and isolated.

BEAT members gathered at the Rapid KL Jalan Tun Sambanthan Bus Stop at 10.30am today to demonstrate how impossible it was for wheelchair users and the mobility-impaired to board the buses. When getting into the buses take gargantuan effort for those with good upper body strength, it would be virtually an impossible task for those who are paralysed from neck down. How then are people who are severely disabled supposed to travel?

The disabled persons present at the bus stop held up placards with messages that reflect their frustrations. How will this reflect on the government when disabled persons have to resort to such measures to get their voices heard? Something is not right somewhere. Dare I say that people who should be doing their jobs are not? Malaysia can no longer plead ignorance to such issues as we are a signatory to the Biwako Millenium Framework, having given our commitment to creating an inclusive barrier-free and rights-based society for people with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific. Are we any closer to fulfilling the targets set by the framework? The campaign this morning tells it all.

International Day of Disabled Persons 2006 - Brickfields

Under the shadows of Malaysia’s modern landmarks…

Everyone enjoys the ease of moving about in the city, almost…

Except wheelchair users and disabled persons…

They are frustrated…

Malaysia Boleh?

This is what they have to go through…

This is what they have to do. What about those who cannot?

So they express their frustrations and disappointment…

Through the only way they know how…

Hello, is anybody listening?

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This entry was posted on Sunday, December 3rd, 2006 at 22:47 and is filed under Accessible Public Transport, Accessible Toilets, Disability Issues, RapidKL. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

4 Responses to “Cries of Wheelchair Users in Malaysia - Rapid KL, Are You Listening?”

Sensual Sophia Says:
December 4th, 2006 at 09:52
Great that these issues are being brought out. We have a long, long way to go before becoming a developed nation that’s disabled friendly.

Peter:
We definitely have a long way to go judging from the response from the parties concerned.
babe_kl Says:
December 4th, 2006 at 10:16
i can bet with my last dollar, nobody in RapidKL is listening! when they started their new routes i wrote in via the email that they published in the newspaper for comments and feedback. it has been quite a number of months and i did not even get an acknowledgement at all! how typical!

Peter:
They are listening. The question is are they going to do something about it.
pelf Says:
December 6th, 2006 at 14:43
This is issue has been around for quite some time already, no? And they’re not getting it. Let’s cross our fingers and hope that somebody will soon knock some sense into these people

Peter:
They need more than knocking.
» 50 Posts to Independence - Post No. 8 | Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening | Says:
April 10th, 2008 at 15:19
[...] to protest injustices perpetrated against them. Glaring examples are the demonstrations against RapidKL and Air Asia for ignoring the transportation needs of disabled people. We have to resort to this [...]