Shahrizat: Cater to the needs of the disabled

PETALING JAYA: Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has called for a “barrier-free” environment to cater to the needs of the disabled community.

She said the ministry would rigorously defend the rights of the disabled.

“The requests for more disabled-friendly public transport facilities should not be taken lightly,” she said in a statement.

“All authorities involved in the handling and provision of, among other things, public transport, recreational parks and buildings must take into account the needs of all members of society, including the disabled.

“It is time that a ‘barrier-free’ environment be realised for the benefit of the whole of society.”

Shahrizat added that the ministry held talks with the Housing and Local Government Ministry in July to discuss the efforts taken to provide access and mobility for the disabled.

She added that a joint working paper between the two ministries was submitted during the national council meeting for local government, chaired by the Prime Minister, on Sept 25.

Disabled face daily barriers

KUALA LUMPUR: “We want disabled-friendly vehicle, We cannot get into buses, We want barrier-free and accessible buses.” Scrawled on placards, these plaintive pleas represented some of the daily obstacles faced by wheelchair-bound people in getting around in public.

Led by Damai Disabled Persons Association of Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan, the group of disabled people gathered at the KL Sentral bus stop, lobbying for facilities that are more sensitive to their needs.

Besides demanding disabled-friendly buses, they also wanted disabled-friendly infrastructure such as wheelchair ramps at bus stops.

NO RAMP: V. Puspanathan, 30, demonstrating the difficulty of getting out of a bus by dragging himself down the steps while struggling with his wheelchair.

The association’s president V. Murugeswaran said buses were one of the most important modes of public transport for the disabled, as most of them did not own a car and taxis were too expensive.

He said they were disappointed with the public bus operator, RapidKL, which had failed to fulfil its promise to provide 100 disabled-friendly buses.

“RapidKL bought new buses in September but we have yet to see one that is disabled-friendly,” Murugeswaran told reporters in conjunction with the International Day of Disabled Persons.

“Without public transport, we lose out on a lot of opportunities such as jobs and education.

“At this celebration, we want to show decision makers our daily obstacles but we do not want charity, we want to be independent,” he said.

Barrier-free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) coordinator Christine Lee said they had sent a memorandum to RapidKL to explain the needs of the disabled.

“Statistics have shown that the number of disabled people is rising due to accidents and old age.

“Disabled-friendly facilities are accessible and safe for wheelchair-bound people, the elderly, young children as well as pregnant women,” she said.

When contacted, RapidKL corporate communications division senior manager Katherine Chew said the 100 units of disabled-friendly buses would be delivered in batches from Europe soon.

“We hope they will arrive by January,” she said.

She also urged the disabled community to be patient, as changes could not be made overnight.

Dude, Where’s My Bus?

After being taken for a ride by Rapid KL for more than two months, members from Barrier-free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) staged a rally at the Jalan Tun Sambanthan bus stop opposite the KL Monorail Station to demand for accessible public transport on December 3. The rally was organised in conjunction with the International Day of Disabled Persons that fell on the same day.

The New Straits Times had reported on September 25, 2006 that a “RapidKL spokesperson said the transport company had bought 100 disabled-friendly buses with ramps. These would be delivered next month.”

Following the rally, a news report quoted Katherine Chew, Senior Manager Corporate Communications of Rapid KL, as saying that “the 100 units of disabled-friendly buses would be delivered in batches from Europe soon” and that Rapid KL hoped the buses will arrive by January. She also urged disabled persons to be patient as “changes cannot be made overnight.”

If waiting for twelve years is not patient enough, what is? Christine Lee and V. Murugeswaran should know better. They are veterans in advocating for accessible public transport in 1994 when STAR LRT was built without such facilities. A dozen years down the road, they are still waiting. Listening to them recount the campaign back then made me realise how little Malaysia has progressed where rights of disabled persons are concerned.

Moreover, can the promised 100 buses serve the needs of the mobility-impaired who live in different places all over the Klang Valley? BEAT foresees that the limited frequency and insufficient interconnectivity of these buses will render it ineffective. The decision to acquire only 100 accessible buses out of the 1000 that was ordered defies logic. It looks like Rapid KL never seriously considered the mobility-impaired when the decision was made for the purchase. Why limit it to only 100 when an entire fleet of accessible buses will benefit everyone?

This oversight, either deliberate or inadvertent, has led Christine and Murugeswaran to the forefront again to campaign for accessible public buses. This is another uphill battle as there is a strong reluctance to make all Rapid KL buses fully accessible. Do wheelchair users have to wait another twelve years only to be disappointed again? We certainly are not asking for things to change overnight. Public transport is a basic right for everyone, disabled or otherwise. What we want is a firm commitment and a reasonable timeframe from Rapid KL to make their entire fleet of buses accessible. Is that too much to ask for?

Have at least basic accessibility for the disabled
Abdul Karim Stuart Russell
Dec 1, 06 4:25pm Adjust font size:

United Nation’s International Day of Disabled Persons (IDDP), on Sunday Dec 3, is a wonderful opportunity to promote understanding and increase awareness in Malaysia of disability issues, and promulgate the importance of independence, ease of movement, integration, dignity, equal rights and the well-being of persons with disabilities of all kinds.

With good education, full accessibility to facilities such as buildings and public transport; proper training and understanding employers, persons with disabilities can be an asset to the nation and should be integrated into, and participate in, every facet of social, economic, political and cultural life in Malaysia.

The serious deficiencies of our public transport systems hamper the independence, equal rights, dignity and well-being of all persons with disabilities. These deficits must be rectified because they are fundamental prerequisites to integration and independence.

The disabled are discriminated against and Malaysians with disabilities - even in Kuala Lumpur - are excluded from almost all public transport.

Taxi drivers charge wheelchair users an additional RM10 to carry a wheelchair while the blind get taken on a roundabout route so that the taxi meter clocks up a higher fee. Some airlines charge an extra fee to use a wheelchair, and even claim the right to refuse to carry the disabled.

Authorities do not provide properly designed footpaths, road crossings, do not adhere to universal standards regarding the head clearance for signs, for the placement of street furniture, the provision of wheelchair ramps, etc.

Consequently people with disabilities in Malaysia cannot safely make their own way around the locality where they live or venture further afield to reach a car park or public transport system.

E-Accessibility is the theme for IDDP 2006 but here in Malaysia, if the disabled simply have basic accessibility, they will be genuinely delighted and the nation will be one step closer to eventually being a developed country.

The writer is spokesperson for Action and Inclusion for the Disabled (Aid).

December 03, 2006 14:17 PM

Disabled Deprived Of Using Public Transport, Says Group

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Bernama) — A group of disabled individuals and organisations Sunday asked public transport operators, especially bus companies, to consider the needs of the disabled in their planning and decision-making.

In making the call, V. Murugeswaran, Coordinator of Barrier-free Environment and Accessible Transport (BEAT), said bus companies must ensure new buses are non-step to allow easy access to the disabled, senior citizens and pregnant women.

Currently, he said, the fleet of buses operated by Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL) were not disabled-friendly, thus depriving wheelchair-bound passengers or travellers on crutches to use the service.

“The steps to board these buses are high for any handicapped person. Rapid KL must ensure the handicapped too can use the public transport provided by them,” he said after an awareness campaign at the KL Sentral Station.

The campaign was held to mark the International Day of Disabled Persons aimed at promoting awareness on the need for barrier-free environment and accessible transport for all people including the disabled, senior citizens, pregnant women, adults with prams and passengers with luggage.

One of the campaign participants, Mehboob Sulaiman, 45, who was in crutches, said the public bus service provider should lower the steps leading up to the buses and ensure there was enough standing space for the disabled.

“Boarding the bus is one thing, the space inside the bus is narrow. We, the disabled, have to fight for space with the able-bodied people.

“We don’t want to inconvenience normal users but when we ourselves don’t have enough space to stand, then things become difficult.

“Sometimes, the seats for the disabled are often misused. Normal people take up the seats. We cannot ask them to vacate the seats…it is for the bus driver to ensure these seats are empty for the disabled,” she said.

Murugeswaran, who is also Damai Disabled Persons Association of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur president, said the association met officials of Rapid KL last month and handed a memorandum stating the requirements of the disabled.

“Rapid KL had made an announcement it was bringing in 1,000 new buses but these buses are not barrier-free buses.

“We are disappointed Rapid KL is not introducing non-step buses when buses of this kind are being used in many countries all over the world.

“As we move towards becoming a developed nation by 2020, the disabled do not want to be left behind,” he added.

– BERNAMA