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Malaysia Signs Convention On Rights Of Persons With Disabilities: Bernama – July 6, 2010

Peter Tan — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 04:41:02 +0000

July 06, 2010 21:21 PM

Malaysia Signs Convention On Rights Of Persons With Disabilities

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama) — Malaysia on Tuesday signed the instrument to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and withdrew its reservations on several articles in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

The signing of the instrument by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil showed the government’s commitment to protecting and improving the welfare of the disabled, women and children.

Shahrizat said the Convention on the disabled outlined eight common principles, including respect and self-reliance, removing discrimination against the disabled, and their full and effective participation in society.

“We hope it will bring change to the lives of the disabled in this country,” she said at the signing ceremony, here.

Shahrizat also handed over the instrument ratifying the Convention to Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Richard Riot Jaem to be sent to the United Nations for further action.

On the withdrawing of Malaysia’ reservations on certain articles in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Shahrizat said the government would give children the freedom to have their say and the right to form associations and to assemble peacefully.

She said the move was in line with the recognition given to children’s rights as they would be the nation’s future leaders.

Besides that, she added, the government would also fix the minimum age for women to marry and make the marriage registration compulsory, remove prejudices and customs that discriminated against women, and stress on opportunities to be given to women to hold public office.

Shahrizat said when the government agreed to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, it acted by appointing two women as Syariah Court judges recently.

“This is a positive step in raising the status of women in this country by giving them important decision-making positions,” she said.

– BERNAMA

Special stickers for the disabled in Selangor: The Star – September 12, 2009

Peter Tan — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:02:18 +0000

This news is outdated but still relevant and related to the article on free parking for disabled persons in Penang island that I put up yesterday.

Metro
Home > Metro > Central

Saturday September 12, 2009
Special stickers for the disabled in Selangor
By GEETHA KRISHNAN

SPECIAL stickers for the disabled, enabling them to park their vehicles for free in public car parks all over Selangor, can now be obtained from their respective local authorities.

The state government has printed 500 of these stickers for each local authority in the state.

It is issued free to those with various types of disabilities, nerve disorders, those with children with learning disabilities and those with a combination of several disabilities.

Helping the disabled: The special stickers issued to the disabled by the Selangor government.

However, the blind and deaf do not qualify.

Kajang municipal councillor Lee Learn Eng clarified that the disabled could approach only one local authority for the special sticker and its validity would expire at the end of 2010.

“There are two types of stickers – one which can be displayed in vehicles, and the other, a mobile sticker for them to use if they intend to travel in other vehicles.

“The stickers have multi-coloured dots visible only under ultra-violet rays to prevent forgery,” he said at a press conference at Menara MPKj on Friday.

“To register for the stickers, we need a photocopy of the individual’s MyKad, OKU Card issued by the Welfare Department, driving licence and two passport-sized photographs.

“If the sticker is lost or misplaced, we will impose a RM30 fine and suspend the sticker privileges for three months,” he added.

Lee said the free parking facility was applicable only to the disabled and not their family members and friends.

Misuse of the stickers will result in the respective local authority issuing parking summonses.

So far, 10 of the special stickers have been issued by the MPKj. Those intending to apply for the stickers are urged to visit the council’s Community Services Depart-ment on Level 6.

Also present at the press conference were councillors Ong Seng Peng and P. Narayanan.

Free parking for disabled in Penang: Sun2Surf – January 14, 2010

Peter Tan — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:37:42 +0000

This article made a mistake when it mentioned that free parking for disabled people in Penang is the first of its kind in the country. Selangor implemented this policy some time in September 2009.

NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS :: Local News
Free parking for disabled in Penang
Wong Wooi Kean

GEORGE TOWN (Jan 14, 2010): All registered physically disabled persons in Penang will be allowed free public parking throughout the island in a new ruling, the first of its kind in the country, by the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP).

The MPPP has decided to issue special purple car-stickers, to be renewed after two years, for disabled individuals who can drive and for guardians of those who cannot.

The ruling, which does not cover the deaf and the blind, took effect today.

Councillor Tan Hun Wooi said those who have already registered with the Social Welfare Department qualify to apply immediately. Those who have not registered yet are encouraged to do so to be eligible.

“We encourage the disabled to apply for these special stickers for their convenience,” he said. The first batch of stickers will be issued by the end of this month, he added.

Tan said this at a press conference at the Caring Society Complex here today.

The MPPP has been receiving calls to increase the number of bays for the disabled, and decided to tackle the problem by going one step further in giving out stickers for free public parking throughout the island.

Of the 11,000-odd parking bays under the MPPP, only 15 are currently reserved for the disabled.

In the meantime, the MPPP will still go ahead with plans to increase the number of disabled bays, so as to give the disabled greater convenience in finding available parking.

Tan also warned the general public not to park their vehicles in places reserved for the disabled.

Society of Disabled Persons Penang president, Teh Lay Kuan, said she was grateful to the local authorities for initiating the new purple-sticker ruling.

According to the Welfare department, there were 15,611 registered disabled people in the state.

“We often find people who are inconsiderate when they park at parking lots meant for the disabled, causing us inconvenience,” she added.

Applications for the stickers can be made at the MPPP’s office on the 15th floor of Komtar here. For details, call 04-2592130.

Free parking in the city for the disabled: The Star – January 16, 2010

Peter Tan — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:33:34 +0000

Metro
Home > Metro > North

Saturday January 16, 2010
Free parking in the city for the disabled

GOOD news for the disabled, the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) is giving them free parking in the city.

This is the first time the state government is offering such a privilege – making it the second state in the country to implement the facilities.

For the disabled: One of the reserved parking lots in the city.

The move was an effort by the council to be create a caring and disabled friendly society.

MPPP financial management subcommittee alternate chairman Tan Hun Wooi said special passes would be issued to disabled folk except for those who were blind and deaf.

He said the application for the special pass, valid for a year, was now available at the MPPP office.

To obtain the free pass, applicants have to produce photostat copies of their MyKad, disabled persons’(OKU) card, two passport-sized photographs, motor vehicle registration card, driving licence and a letter verifying the caretaker.

Registration can be done at Komtar, 15th floor. For further details, call 04-2592130.

He also said the council would not hesitate to issue summonses for vehicles that were parked at lots reserved for the disabled.

Currently, there are 15 such lots in the inner city and the council will be working with organisations for the disabled to come up more such parking lots elsewhere in the city.

Society of the Orthopaedically Handicapped Malaysia (POCAM) president Assoc Prof Dr Tiun Ling Ta said the move was noble.

However, he said, there was a need for better enforcement to prevent parking lots designated for the disabled from being used by unscrupulous drivers.

Asia Community Service Centre (ACS) executive director Khor Ai-Na described the move as “good and timely”.

She said the special passes for the disabled would also reduce the hassle the handicapped drivers face getting to the parking meter to insert their coins.

Society of The Disabled Persons Penang president Teh Lay Kuan lauded the move and urged the public not to park at reserved parking lots for the disabled.

“The reserved lots are there for a reason and I hope the public will be more considerate,” she said.

Bigotry In Malaysia

Peter Tan — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:07:50 +0000

MACC counsel Datuk Abdul Razak Musa then stood up to protest Karpal’s continued use of the word “murder” in pertaining to Teoh’s death.

When Karpal, who is in a wheelchair, told Abdul Razak to “sit down”, the latter replied: “I will sit down but you cannot stand up.”

The Star – January 15, 2010

Abdul Razak must have thought that his shooting from the hip was the perfect rebuttal to Karpal. Although the remark was pointed at Karpal, it has, in one fell swoop, affronted all wheelchair users. This is a blatant disregard for the dignity of disabled people.

Of all people, I would least expect a lawyer to say something as disrespectful as this. Ridiculing a disabled person’s condition is bigotry just like how making deprecating remarks along racial lines is considered racism. Let there not be a doubt regarding this.

This is also an indication of how little the government has done to promote disability equality in the country. When Parlimentarians and government officers have no qualms with throwing insults at disabled people, they set a bad precedent to society at large on how disabled people should be treated. Thankfully, people like these are a minority. Such attitudes are still disconcerting nonetheless.

If the government is serious in protecting the rights and dignity of disabled people in Malaysia, they should come out with an anti-discrimination law. The Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 does nothing to that effect. Disabled people in Malaysia still face attitudinal and environmental barriers in every aspect of their lives.

The Star Online

Published: Friday January 15, 2010 MYT 11:38:00 AM
Updated: Friday January 15, 2010 MYT 1:36:58 PM

Teoh Beng Hock’s inquest takes a further turn (Update)
By WANI MUTHIAH

SHAH ALAM: The inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock took a further turn when a hearing on an application to cite a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer for contempt targeted its counsel instead.

Counsel for the Government Tan Hock Chuan had earlier given the court the Attorney-General’s assurance that no action would be taken against Thai forensic pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand.

He said the A-G was also of the opinion that Dr Pornthip had not leaked any information to Suara Keadilan, which had carried an article “confirming” that Teoh had been murdered.

Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas then said that given the A-G’s opinion, there was no longer any need to proceed with contempt proceedings against Raub Ghani, who had lodged a police report against Dr Pornthip alleging that she had leaked information from the results of the second post-mortem performed on Teoh to “unauthorised” parties.

Raub, 41, who is attached to the Putrajaya MACC investigation unit, had lodged the report at the Shah Alam district police headquarters on Jan 1.

However, the counsel representing Teoh’s family, Karpal Singh argued for contempt proceedings to continue against Raub as going by the A-G’s opinion, it would seem to indicate that the MACC officer had lodged a false police report and thus, should be “duly dealt with”.

MACC counsel Datuk Abdul Razak Musa then stood up to protest Karpal’s continued use of the word “murder” in pertaining to Teoh’s death.

When Karpal, who is in a wheelchair, told Abdul Razak to “sit down”, the latter replied: “I will sit down but you cannot stand up.”

The court was thrown into further chaos when at one point, Gobind Singh Deo called Abdul Razak a “scoundrel” for insulting Karpal Singh’s disability, and wanted contempt proceedings initiated against Abdul Razak.

The court has momentarily stood down for both Karpal and Gobind to refer to grounds to initiate proceedings against Abdul Razak.

Coroner Azmil Muntapha fixed Jan 22 to hear submissions in the contempt proceedings against Raub.

He agreed there were elements of contempt in Abdul Razak’s remarks against Karpal, but only cautioned him.