Meeting With YB Jenice Lee
Jenice Lee with Tan Weng Aun, Wang Siew Ming and Peter Tan.
Photo by Wuan.
Right after the 12th General Election, I thought it would be a good idea to present a memorandum to the incoming state governments on issues of accessibility for disabled people. Although there is a law to compel developers to include such features in their projects, this is seldom enforced. The Uniform Building By-Law 34-A (UBBL 34A) under the Street Drainage and Building Act specifically states that:
(3) Buildings to which this by-law applies and which on .the date of commencement of this by-law have been erected, are being erected or have not been erected but plans have been submitted and approved shall be modified or altered to comply with this by-laws within 3 years from the date of commencement of this by-law.
Fifteen years later now, old buildings have not complied with this requirement while many new buildings do not meet the minimum standards of accessibility. The onus of enforcements falls squarely on the majlis perbandaran (municipal councils) and they have done nothing with regards to this matter.
While the UBBL 34A is a move in the right direction, it is made impotent by indifferent officers within the many majlis perbandaran who are either ignorant of the existence of the law or are not technically savvy enough to understand the accessibility standards. Whatever the reasons, disabled people are left high and dry.
Hence, I wrote the memorandum with the hope that it would move the state governments to compel all municipal councils to enforce the UBBL 34A. Naziaty Yaacob of Inclusive Design for Malaysia provided valuable feedback that completed the document. My friends in Penang submitted the same document with some amendments to reflect the situation there to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng a couple of weeks ago.
Here in the Klang Valley, I secured an appointment to meet with the ADUN of Teratai YB Jenice Lee last Saturday morning together with fellow accessibility advocate Wang Siew Ming and Tan Weng Aun. We presented Jenice with the memorandum to forward it to the Selangor Menteri Besar. We spent nearly two hours discussing about the accessibility issues faced by disabled people and the badly done ramps along the walkways at Pandan Perdana and went through the various points in the memorandum.
At the same time, Wang presented Jenice with the Malaysian Standard MS 1184: Code of Practice on Access for Disabled Persons to Public Buildings and the Malaysian Standard 1331: Code of Practice for Access for Disabled People Outside Buildings. He presented the same books to the previous ADUN before the construction of the ramps but not one of the ten ramps complied with the standards and are not safe to use.
The day before concrete was poured, we specifically guided the contractor on how it should be done. He was annoyed with us for fussing over it. We were very disappointed when we went to check on the ramps after it was completed. He did not follow any of the specifications. That rendered the ramp useless. It was truly a waste of public funds.
We truly hope Selangor will live up to its developed state status and take the lead to become the first state to be generally accessible to disabled people. We have gotten a raw deal for so long and we hope that all the new state governments will seriously look into the problems faced by disabled people and resolve it for once and for all. We would also like to thank Jenice for spending the morning listening to us, making an effort to understand what we are facing and for promising to look into it.
Related entry:
Memorandum to the Government Of Selangor Darul Ehsan on Facilities for Disabled People
Tags: DUN Teratai, Jenice Lee, Pandan Perdana
First Step Towards An Accessible Pandan Perdana
The ADUN for Teratai YB Yap Soo Sun, Bendahari Kelab Sukan Komuniti Dun Teratai En. Mohd. Aznam Mohd. Zain, fellow advocate Wang Siew Ming and I went on a walkabout around Pandan Perdana just now. I had copied 2 complaint mails to YB Yap regarding the lamp post in the middle of the walkway that caused Wuan and I to fall onto the road in May last year. Read this, this and this for context.
Wang and I went to see YB Yap in May to follow up with the issue as it was still not resolved one year later. The offending lamp post has since been relocated. Additionally, we proposed to YB Yap to upgrade the commonly used stretch of walkways in Pandan Perdana into an accessible one as this will not only benefit disabled persons but senior citizens, pregnant women and adults with prams as well.
Apart from the walkways, YB Yap has also agreed to build a ramp at the 7-11 store and another at the Hong Leong Bank. He informed us that his application for a grant for this purpose had just been approved. We presented him with a copy of the Malaysian Standard 1331 (1993) Code of Practice for Access for Disabled People Outside Buildings to ensure that the renovations were properly done.
This is a positive development in the advocacy campaign on accessibility. In time, I hope that the entire Pandan Perdana will be fully accessible and eventually all the areas under the jurisdiction of Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya. I look forward to the day when I can move around conveniently around this area without having to risk life and limb.
Tags: DUN Teratai, Pandan Perdana, Yap Soo Sun
Peter Tan Objects To Sending The 2nd Malaysian Astronaut Into Space
As a citizen of Malaysia, I hereby object to the suggestion to send the second astronaut into space at the cost of US$30mil (RM102mil) as reported by The Star (Normal to pick space crew at the last minute, says JJ - Tuesday September 25, 2007).
“If Malaysians want him to be sent to space too, I will raise the matter up with the Cabinet. He is after all, ready and able.
He added that the cost of sending the second Malaysian astronaut was estimated to be US$30mil (RM102mil).
This amount can be better used to improve the lives of thousands, if not millions, of our fellow Malaysians. I speak from the viewpoint of a disabled person. This money can be utilised to make the environment and public transport accessible, and support people with severe disabilities who are practicing independent living. These include providing funds for personal assistants and other support services. RM102mil is a lot of money and it should be used judiciously to benefit the most number of people.
For starters, the people at RapidKL kept saying that they do not have the money to make the public transport system under their management accessible. This RM102mil can go a log way towards achieving that. I have spoken to the State Assemblyman for Teratai YB Yap Soo Sun who said that Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya does not have the funds to upgrade the walkways in Pandan Perdana into accessible ones because of the shortage of funds. RM102mil can do wonders to make all the walkways accessible. These are two examples how the RM102mil can be better spent. Why look so far away into outer space when things that are right before our eyes still need a lot of money and work? Lets get the priorities right here.
Related entry:
Malaysian Going To Outer Space, Disabled Persons Still Stuck At Home
Tags: angkasawan Malaysia, DUN Teratai, MPAJ, Pandan Perdana, Yap Soo Sun
Second Complaint Letter To MPAJ Regarding Inaccessible Pandan Perdana
It is absolutely disappointing that Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya (MPAJ) never responded to my complaint regarding the inaccessible and dangerous walkways around Pandan Perdana. This was despite a letter from the Jabatan Kerajaan Tempatan (Department of Local Government) urging them to respond to my letter of complaint.
To pursue the case further, I have sent a second letter of complaint to MPAJ and copied it to the Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Setiausaha Kerajaan Selangor (Cawangan Kerajaan Tempatan), Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan, Jabatan Kerajaan Tempatan, Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga n Masyarakat, Pengarah Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, ADUN for Teratai and Presiden Persatuan Orang-Orang Cacat Anggota Malaysia. A while ago, I personally handed this letter to ADUN for Teratai YB Yap Soo Soon who has agreed to look into this matter.
Rujukan JKT: KPKT(02)(S)927/5 klt. 49(80)
18 April 2007
Yang Dipertua
Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya
Menara MPAJ
Jalan Pandan Utama
55100 Pandan Indah
Kuala LumpurINACCESSIBLE, DAMAGED AND OBSTRUCTED WALKWAYS AT PANDAN PERDANA A DANGER TO WHEELCHAIR USERS AND PEDESTRIANS
Dengan hormatnya saya merujuk kepada surat aduan saya yang bertarikh 28 Mei 2006 dan surat dari Pengarah Jabatan Kerajaan Tempatan kepada Yang Dipertua Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya yang bertarikh 27 Julai 2006.
2. Saya teramat kecewa dengan sikap MPAJ yang tidak mengendahkan aduan saya serta surat dari pihak Jabatan Kerajaan Tempatan mengenai perkara di atas. Sudah 10 bulan semenjak surat aduan tersebut tetapi MPAJ masih belum lagi memberi sebarang maklumbalas ataupun mengambil tindakan yang nyata.
3. Sebarang alas an yang akan diberi oleh pihak MPAJ atas kelekaannya tidak dapat diterima. Saya terpaksa menggunakan kerusi roda saya di atas jalan raya setiap kali saya hendak pergi ke kedai-kedai yang berdekatan sebab laluan pejalan kaki di Pandan Perdana tidak sesuai untuk digunakan oleh OKU. Sebahagian besar daripada laluan pejalan kaki sudah rosak dan terdapat tiang lampu yang didirikan di tengah-tengah laluan pejalan kaki (aduan surat saya yang bertarikh 28 Mei 206), menjadikan laluan itu terlalu sempit untuk kegunaan saya. Setiap kali saya menggunakan jalan raya dengan kerusi roda, saya berdoa agar tidak dilanggar oleh kenderaan di jalan raya yang sibuk itu.
4. Kenapa OKU mesti menggadai nyawa mereka setiap kali mereka hendak pergi ke mana-mana? Bukankah tanggungjawab MPAJ untuk menyediakan dan memperbaiki kemudahan-kemudahan awam dalam daerah kawalannya termasuk mewujudkan persekitaran yang mesra? Apakah gunanya Undang-Undang Kecil 34A Undang-Undang Kecil Bangunan Seragam 1986 yang telah diwartakan sekiranya MPAJ tidak bersungguh-sungguh untuk menguatkuasakannya?
5. Persekitaran yang mesra OKU bukan sahaja memanfaatkan golongan OKU. Malah persekitaran ini juga memanfaatkan warga emas, ibu mengandung dan mereka yang mengalami kesulitan pergerakan (mobility impairment). Pada amnya persekitaran mesra OKU adalah satu cara utama untuk memastikan golongan yang mempunyai kesulitan pergerakan tidak tersisir dari arus pembangunan negara dan menjaminkan mereka dapat turut serta dalam segala aktiviti masyarakat.
6. Saya berharap Tuan Yang Dipertua akan mengambil berat tentang aduan ini dan mengambil tindakan yang sepatutnya dengan secepat mungkin untuk mengelakkan perkara yang berlaku kepada saya dari berulang lagi atau mengelakkan kemalangan yang melibatkan kecederaan serius atau kehilangan nyawa dari berlaku. Perhatian Tuan dalam perkara ini amat dihargai dan didahului dengan ucapan terima kasih.
Sekian.
Tags: DUN Teratai, MPAJ, Pandan Perdana, Yap Soo Sun
Labour Day Morning With YB Yap Soo Sun
My fellow advocates on disability issues, Wang and Tan, and I have been mulling on a date to meet the State Assemblyman for the area that we are residing in. At 10.00am this morning, we went to meet the ADUN of Teratai YB Yap Soo Sun at his residence. I handed to him a follow-up letter of complaint to the Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya (MPAJ) regarding inaccessible walkways in Pandan Perdana.
He has agreed to look into the matter and made plans to go on a walkabout around Pandan Perdana with us to view the challenges that wheelchair users have to face when moving about in the area. We intimated to him that RapidKL will be launching accessible buses soon but without corresponding accessible walkways and bus stops, wheelchair users are still unable to board the buses. YB Yap said that after understanding the situation better, he will submit a proposal to the state government for funding to upgrade the infrastructure.
We also informed him that we plan to set up a Centre for Independent Living in Pandan Perdana. He was also very supportive of this initiative and promised to assist us in any way within his means as a State Assemblyman. For this matter, we will draw up a proposal and present to him as soon as possible.
This has been a fruitful morning for the three of us although we also know that it may take months, if not years, before any concrete action will be taken by the local authorities and state government. It is a good start for us. And then again, the General Election is coming soon. Anything can happen between now and then.
Tags: DUN Teratai, MPAJ, Pandan Perdana, Yap Soo Sun