There is something very wrong in Rapid Penang’s announcement on accessible bus stops. Rapid Penang Chief Executive Officer was quoted by NST for saying “Even though only four per cent of the disabled use public transportation, we see this as a commitment which must be fulfilled immediately.”

I sincerely thank Azhar for taking the initiative to ensure that disabled people, especially wheelchair users, have access to public transportation. Nevertheless, I would like to know where he got the figure of four percent from? Is this the part of the current ridership statistics of Rapid Penang? Or is that the projected statistics after the bus stops become accessible?

If the statistics are current, Azhar should realise that Rapid Penang buses and all other public buses in Malaysia are not accessible to wheelchair users. If the statistics are projections, then it may be inaccurate as there is no way to tell how many disabled people will use public transportation when it becomes accessible.

Disabled people have equal right to public transportation. By becoming a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Malaysia has acknowledged this fact. Even if one percent of disabled people use public transportation, it should be made accessible. Statistics should not be used as a justification to provide or not to provide such facilities.

The bus stops should be built according to the principles of universal design which provides solutions that everyone can use and not limited only to disabled people. That makes better sense than building “ramps specially designed for the wheelchair-bound.” The time has come for society to shed the mentality that the needs of disabled people are extraordinary and needs addition expenditure and effort to provide for.

Frankly speaking, if Rapid Penang, which is a subsidiary of RapidKL, had seriously listened to disabled people who had advised them on this in the beginning, they would not have to go reconstructing the bus stops to cater to wheelchair users. They should have just brought in kneeling buses which would have solved the problem and saved themselves the trouble. Kneeling buses are very people-friendly. Senior citizens, parents with prams and aunties dragging a trolley-full of groceries will be able to get into the buses without breaking a sweat.

But this is Malaysia. People make money from making mistakes. And the needs of disabled people are often seen as opportunities to make even more money. Welcome to my world.

NST Online » Local News
2008/04/25
Upgrade of bus stops mooted

GEORGE TOWN: RapidPenang has submitted a proposal to the state government to take over bus stops and bus stations in the state in a bid to upgrade and standardise the designs of the stops.
Its chief executive officer, Azhar Ahmad, said the takeover process was planned to be carried out in three phases over the next six years.

“In the first phase, we are expecting to take over some 60 bus stops to manage and maintain them using our own money.

“The first phase is expected to cost RM3 million and will take some two years to carry out,” he said after a ceremony to confirm RapidPenang bus captains and the launch of the monthly students’ passes here yesterday.

He presented 60 monthly student passes to three non-governmental organisations.
Azhar said the company also planned to equip the bigger bus stops with facilities for the disabled.

“These include ramps specially designed for the wheelchair-bound.

“Even though only four per cent of the disabled use public transportation, we see this as a commitment which must be fulfilled immediately.”

Azhar said the state government was expected to give the go-ahead in one or two months’ time.

No matter how hard we try to go against the current, the determination will slowly be eroded, bit by bit till there is none left. Spent and listless, we will bob along, allowing the unceasing flow decide on our destiny. It is not ours to decide anymore. Our lives are not ours. We become the debris that eventually gets washed out to sea. And then we die an inconspicuous death, drowned, suffocated by our own inability to stand up against the forces we loathe. We only have ourselves to blame for becoming one of the mindless masses.

Just our luck. In the midst of submitting our income tax returns through E-Filing, the website returned an error message. We had almost completed the entire process. Now we have to wait until tomorrow to check if we can complete and submit it. The last day for submission of personal income tax returns is April 30.

UMNO Youth Chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein’s apology for his keris wielding antics during the past UMNO general assemblies is too little too late now. The damage has been done. That was one of the causes why BN performed so badly in the general election.

I respect that the keris is a symbol of the Malay culture. At the same time, Hishammuddin should also respect the multi-cultural make up of Malaysia. Imagine what would happen if every ethnic group wielded weapons that are symbols of their culture during their respective general assemblies. What would have happened if MCA, if they had the guts, had wielded the Guandao at its general assembly?

The way to harmony in Malaysia is not to behave in an offensive manner to our fellow countrymen. Harmony can only be achieved through respecting and understanding the sensitivities of others. At no time should threats be used to garner support within or to instill fear without.

Just an afterthought: Would Hishammuddin have apologised had BN won with a 2/3 majority?

The Star Online
Saturday April 26, 2008
Hisham regrets wielding keris, he apologises to all Malaysians
By TEH ENG HOCK

Hishammuddin: I take responsibility for the keris waving

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein has admitted that his raising of the keris was among the causes of the Barisan Nasional’s poor performance in the general election.

Apologising to all Malaysians for his action, he said: “If it affected anyone, I cannot run away from the reality of it. I apologise to the non-Malays and the Malays.

“To the non-Malays because of the fear to a symbol which was not my intention. And to the Malays for not being able to uphold their symbol of heritage.”

Describing it as a “sad lesson”, he said as a leader, he must be gracious and accept the consequences because the party came first.

The wielding of the keris was introduced at the Umno Youth assembly in 2005 to symbolise Malay tradition. At the start of the assembly, a procession carrying the keris would proceed to the hall to hand it to the Youth chief, who would then unsheathe and kiss it.

In the 2006 assembly, there was uneasiness among non-Malays when some speakers made racially slanted remarks about using the keris. Things were made worse as the proceedings of the assembly were telecast live.

MCA and several other Barisan component party leaders criticised the use of the keris in such a manner.

However, Hishammuddin had then defended his action, saying the keris was a symbol of Malay culture.

Hishammuddin, who is the Education Minister, however did not want to say if the tradition of kissing the keris would be stopped at future Umno Youth assemblies.

“This is not the forum to discuss it,” he told reporters after chairing a BN Youth central committee meeting at Menara Dato Onn.

Among those present were MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, MIC Youth chief Datuk S.A. Vigneswaran, and Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

Hishammuddin also said the BN Youth proposed that the coalition’s representatives from Sabah and Sarawak be given more recognition.

“We recognise the role and contribution of Sabah and Sarawak BN (in the general election), and they are now the anchor and backbone of BN,” he added.

He said Barisan leaders in the peninsula could share and learn from the experience of their Sabah and Sarawak counterparts on issues such as religion and racial relations.

This blog has not been updated for the past few days because I have nothing worth blogging about, not that I have something interesting to share now. The itch is coming back and I just took Loratidine. It is 12.30am. I should be in bed. That is exactly what I am going to do now. Good night Malaysia.