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Tuesday April 17, 2007Don’t leave us out, urge wheelchair-bound commuters
WHEELCHAIR users do not want to be left behind when RapidPenang’s 150 buses ply the streets in Penang in August.
Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (Beat) coordinator Christine Lee said that non-step, low floor buses should be made available for the public, including senior citizens and wheelchair bound commuters.
She expressed concern over a statement by State Local Govern-ment, Traffic Management, Informa-tion and Community Relations Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan that the state would not provide special buses for the disabled who use wheelchairs.
She pointed out that the statement contradicted Transport Mini-ster Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy’s announcement that the transport needs and interests of disabled persons would be included in the public transport master plan, and Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop’s assurance that new buses in Penang would be “disabled-friendly”.
Beat, a coalition of 16 NGOs for disabled persons, urged Rapid-Penang, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad to consider “every Penan-gite’s right to accessible public transport, irrespective of the person’s condition”.
“Non-step buses are already widely used in other countries such as Japan and Australia. They are convenient for senior citizens, pregnant women and adults with prams,” Beat assistant coordinator Peter Tan elaborated.
He said that he had no problem moving around Japan on public transportation when he was there, despite being wheelchair-bound.
“Costs should not be a justifica-tion for not bringing in accessible buses. It will still cost the state government to do so in future. Wheelchair users who are denied their accessibility to buses may not be able to go to work or participate in various activities.
“They’ll be further marginalised from mainstream society,” Tan added.
Malaysian public transport to be more disabled-friendly: report
The Associated Press
Published: March 12, 2007KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia will increase accessibility and facilities for the disabled in its public transport system under an upcoming “master plan” for capital cities in the country’s 13 states, a news report said Tuesday.
Consultants hired by the government to run a nine-month study of the country’s public transport systems have been told to include requirements for disabled people in their report to the Cabinet, which will form the basis for the master plan, the New Straits Times reported.
“We want well planned and coordinated transport systems to meet the needs of disabled people,” Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy was quoted as saying.
The master plan for a better system was expected to be sent to the state capitals by the end of 2007, the report added.
At present, facilities vary for people in wheelchairs, the blind, or others with disabilities in Malaysia’s public transport systems. Light rail trains provide access for the disabled, but buses and bus stops make no provisions for those in wheelchairs.
Today in Asia – PacificChan’s aide was not immediately reachable on his mobile phone for further details. It was not clear from the report when the upgraded public transport systems would be implemented.