During the pre-launch of RapidKL’s accessible buses, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Parlimentary Secretary Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fen “encouraged BEAT (Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group) and the disabled to work with architects, developers, engineers and contractors to better the disabled-friendly facilities of future projects.” (The Star - May 4, 2007: RapidKL to operate 100 buses with accessible facilities)

BEAT has been working with RapidKL since September 2006. With the impending introduction of the accessible buses, BEAT has also been working with a couple of local authorities to ensure that the heights of the accessible buses and the bus stops match and that all connecting pathways are barrier-free. Members of BEAT will also be sitting in a committee chaired by the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport to iron out issues on public transportation in Malaysia.

Many of the members of advocating under BEAT are employed full-time in the private sector and are contributing whatever free time they have to this advocacy movement. Our manpower and resources are stretched very thin. Whatever expenses that we incur in the course of BEAT’s activities come out from our own pockets. We are not complaining though. On the other hand, we hope that the government will do their part by ensuring that infrastructure and facilities are properly done the first time around. This can be achieved by adhering to the requirements of the Uniform Building By-Law 34 which stipulates that the “by-law shall be deemed to be satisfied by compliance with Malaysian Standard MS 1184 and MS 1183.”

The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has a specialised section with a team of officers within the Department of Social Welfare to manage the affairs of disabled persons called the Bahagian OKU Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Malaysia. This section should keep up to its namesake to ensure that issues related to disabled persons are addressed and resolved.

It was highly inappropriate to suggest that BEAT, or disabled persons for that matter, do the work that the government has already assigned a specific ministry or several other ministries to look after. Disabled persons cannot be taking leave from work every now and then to run all over Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya to liaise with ministers, government officers, transport operators, architects, developers, engineers and contractors to get things done properly. It is the government’s job to do that.

As it is, our mobility is already severely restricted due to the unavailability of an accessible urban public transport system which in turn hampers our opportunity to participate in educational, employment, social, cultural, religious and political activities. It is a gross injustice against the dignity of disabled persons as citizens with equitable rights to have to solve the problems that restricts our movement and growth at our own expense. In the first place, these barriers were created by various parties including the government.

It is high time the various ministries work together seriously to resolve all the outstanding issues related to disabled persons instead of pushing the buck around. The government is supposed to solve problems, not create it. Politicians and wakil rakyats were elected to solve problems faced by the electorate, not push it back to the electorates to solve it themselves. Perhaps disabled persons can see miracles ala Machap and Ijok where projects will be approved and completed post-haste during the General Election? Apa macam Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun?

The weeks of anxiety that built up to this morning was lost in the last days that Morrie shared with Mitch. It was one book that had managed to hold my attention in a long while. That was in between straining my ears listening to the announcements calling candidates to go for the road tests and desperately trying to finish each chapter before my turn came up. This was one book that made me tear and made me chuckle. I could relate to some of the stories. I have been through the death of both parents and a few loved ones. Each of their deaths made me appreciate life more. Although I will be busy for the rest of this week, I will sneak in time to discover the unfolding enlightenment that Morrie has to share with all of us. This is one book that is worth many times more than the price I paid for it. For a moment, passing the driving test did not seem that significant an event. Nevertheless, it is one that will liberate me in many ways.

Central
Friday May 4, 2007

RapidKL to operate 100 buses with accessible facilities

By YIP YOKE TENG

Disabled-friendly: Chew helping Lee to get on a RapidKL accessible bus at the Bangsar LRT Station.

The call is finally answered. Disabled-friendly buses will now ply selected RapidKL bus routes and there are 100 buses to start with.

RapidKL announced at the Bangsar LRT Station yesterday that 100 accessible buses had arrived with some already in use. The company hopes to have at least one of such buses in each of its 10 city routes and 63 trunk routes before launching the barrier-free system on June 1.

The buses come with a manual ramp for passengers on wheelchairs while the drivers have been trained to help them get on the buses.

Other facilities such as wheelchair lock, seat belt and head cushion have been thoughtfully included, too.

Women, Family and Community Development Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, RapidKL chief operating officer (bus operations) Mohd Ali Mohd Nor and members of BEAT (Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group) were at the function.

Ali said the company was evaluating each of its 2,500 bus stops in the Klang Valley with the aim to identify the right stops for these buses. It is also working together with BEAT and the local authorities to standardise the height of the pavements needed to support the buses’ manual ramps.

He said some of the disabled-friendly buses had been on the road since April 21 to facilitate some of the 161 newly realigned routes in the Klang Valley. The move had helped RapidKL in the process of identifying the right stops for passengers on wheelchairs.

“Some asked why we take such a long time to introduce barrier-free service. Safety is our main concern, not just safety in the buses but also safety within the whole integrated system. If we are not satisfied with the safety aspects, we would rather not implement the service first,” he said.

Ali did not reveal the cost of bringing in the 100 accessible buses but reiterated that the company did not mind spending more on durable products as the buses operate 16 hours a day.

He said the company would bring in more accessible buses over time and hoped that the entire RapidKL system could be barrier-free one day.

Chew said the government was committed to providing a barrier-free environment to the disabled where 197,519 have registered with the Welfare Department currently. Many ministries have also participated in relevant dialogues and adopting various strategies to better the lives of the disabled.

“Before this, many disabled persons depended on Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Mobility Association to move about. The association has 600 users registered with them while there were only four full-time drivers with four vans,” she said.

“Today, RapidKL opens up a new horizon. Although there are only 100 buses, still a small figure compared to its fleet of 950 buses, it is a very good start,” she added.

She urged RapidKL to cater to the needs of the disabled when it brings its services to Penang, and called upon all private and public organisations to provide disabled-friendly facilities at their premises.

She also encouraged BEAT and the disabled to work with architects, developers, engineers and contractors to better the disabled-friendly facilities of future projects.

BEAT coordinator Christine Lee commended RapidKL’s efforts amid enthusiastic applause from the floor.

“For the first time in the history of disabled person’s movement in the country, we are witnessing a bus company making efforts to incorporate user-friendly facilities to cater to the diverse needs of the travelling public,” she said.

She added that the accessible buses would benefit not only the disabled but also everyone including senior citizens and pregnant women.

Yang Berhormat Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, Parlimentary Secretary, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development,
Encik Mohd Ali Mohd Nor, Chief Operating Officer, RapidKL
Representatives and friends of BEAT,
Fellow disabled members,volunteers and supporters,

A very good morning and salam sejahtera to all of you !

First of all, on behalf of Barrier-free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT), I wish to convey our appreciation to RapidKL for inviting BEAT to attend and share this joyous occasion. I wish to also thank BEAT for selecting me to speak on their behalf.

For those who may still not be aware, BEAT is a coalition of 17 NGOs representing the interests of various disability groups and comprising thousands of members all over Klang Valley and Malaysia.

This morning we are gathered here to mark a very significant occasion. For the first time in the history of disabled person’s movement in the country, we are witnessing a bus company making efforts to incorporate “user friendly facilities” to cater to the diverse needs of the traveling public. SYABAS RAPIDKL !!! You have done the country proud by being the first company to provide accessible public buses on Malaysian roads!!

Accessible buses benefit not only disabled persons but EVERYONE including senior citizens, pregnant women, children in prams, people with mobility difficulties and their family members.

Freedom to move about is a basic and fundamental right of every person irrespective of the condition one is in. For too many years this freedom has been denied us! It is high time that this basic right is given back to us unconditionally! It is also high time that disabled persons be treated as part of the public who are entitled to have equal access to the same facilities provided for the public.

Disabled persons are ordinary human beings who have the same needs as everyone else. Like everyone else, we need public transport to take us to work places, to shopping malls, to banks, to post offices, to recreational parks and so on.

We are happy that the series of campaigns organized by BEAT have received due attention not only from RapidKL but also from several Ministers and politicians (including our YB Chew Mei Fun) as well as the local authorities.

BEAT wish to record our special thanks to the Ministers and Deputy Ministers, namely YB Dato’ Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Dato Dr Ng Yen Yen, Deputy Minister of Finance I, Dato’ Chan Kong Choy, Minister of Transport, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Deputy Prime Minister’s wife, YB Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, Parliament Secretary, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, who have all spoken up in support of our cause.

In the course of working with RapidKL, BEAT also takes note of two persons who deserve our special acknowledgement. They have demonstrated their dedication and commitment in their work beyond the calls of duty. One of them is Encik Mohd Ali. Another person who truly, truly deserve our big applause is none other than Ms Katherine Chew! She has worked very very hard and has also made time to attend our seminars to better understand our issues.

Last but not least, special thanks to all members of BEAT, caring volunteers and supporters, for all the hard work, cooperation and support extended during the working together.

We have done so much but so much more needs to be done! We need to continue the good work with RapidKL and the local authorities. We need to ask for more accessible buses from time to time to meet the increasing demand. We also need to join forces with our comrades in Penang to ask for accessible buses in Penang. We need to work towards the ultimate goals of a barrier-free environment and accessible transport for ALL !

Thank you.

RapidKL held a pre-launch briefing on the accessible buses for members of the media and disabled persons at the Bangsar LRT Station this afternoon. The Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) were represented by fifty members from the sixteen NGOs working together under its banner. RapidKL Chief Operating Officer Mohd. Ali Mohd. Nor, BEAT Coordinator Christine Lee and Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Parlimentary Secretary Datik Paduka Chew Mei Fun spoke on the news bus service from different perspectives.

RapidKL COO Mohd. Ali Mohd. Nor speaking during RapidKL’s Accessible Buses Pre-Launch Briefing.

In his speech, Mohd. Ali said that the one hundred accessible buses will be launched on June 1 serving the trunk and city shuttle routes. However, there will not be any service on the local shuttle serving housing estates. This last mile, he suggested, should be served by pick-up services like those provided by Mobility.

RapidKL COO Mohd. Ali Mohd. Nor assisting Peter Tan up the prototype of the accessible bus.
File photo dated March 10, 2007.
Photo by Wuan.

RapidKL’s introduction of accessible buses is a historical moment for Malaysia. Come June 1, wheelchair users will be able to move around the Klang Valley conveniently and affordably for the first time. While this initiative by RapidKL is commendable, there are still many areas that they can improve on. The core members of BEAT already had two previews on the buses prior to this. The first was during RapidKL’s second dialogue with BEAT in March where we viewed the prototype of the accessible bus. We provided Mohd. Ali with several recommendations including the gradient of the ramp and the wheelchair restraining systems.

The only bus stop at Brickfields where we could get off and on the bus unassisted.
File photo dated April 26, 2007.
Photo by Wuan.

During the second preview, RapidKL Senior Manager Corporate Communications Division Katherine Chew accompanied about ten members from BEAT on a ride to look into the suitability of bus stops around the city. Sad to say, of the many bus stops that we tested, only one was suitable. In this aspect, RapidKL must work with local authorities to rectify the mismatch in height between the buses and bus stops, and also all connecting pathways to enable full accessibility for wheelchair users.

RapidKL staff discussing the technical aspects of the ramp.
File photo dated April 26, 2007.
Photo by Wuan.

RapidKL should not stop at one hundred buses. I would like to see a firm commitment from them to make the entire network accessible within a reasonable time frame. In my mind, five years is reasonable time frame to work towards to. Disabled persons, especially wheelchair users, should not be seen as the only group of people needing an accessible public transportation system. With a rising ageing population, there is a need to address this now. Moreover, such a system benefits everyone from pregnant women, adults with prams and children.

Inside one of RapidKL’s accessible buses at Petaling Street during the 2nd preview.
File photo dated April 26, 2007.
Photo by Wuan.

I am looking forward to the day when I am able to get into a bus and travel to anywhere within the city on a wheelchair without the need to transfer to a car seat. I am certain that my colleagues in BEAT and all wheelchair users share the same sentiments. With these accessible buses, the life of wheelchair users will improve for the better. Many will be able to participate actively in the activities in the community and contribute positively to the development of the nation.