MS 1184 – Page 5 – Peter Tan – The Digital Awakening

Inclusive Tourism And The Advocacy For Accessible Facilities

The advocacy for accessibility in the built environment has been ongoing for at least twenty years in Malaysia assuming we began from the time the Malaysian Standards MS 1184: Code of Practice for Access for Disabled Persons to Public Buildings and MS 1331: Code of Practice for Access of Disabled Persons Outside Buildings were first drafted.

By-law 34A of the Uniform Building By-Law (UBBL 34A) gazetted separately by the various state governments in the 1990s has done little to change the scenario. UBBL 34A requires that all new buildings provide access for disabled people. Buildings that do not have such facilities when the by-law came into force must provide them within three years.

No doubt new buildings such as shopping complexes have a certain degree of accessibility, these are far and few in between. These buildings by themselves are islands in an ocean of barriers. It is difficult for disabled people to get to these places as there is lack of connectivity in the form of accessible pedestrain facilities and public transport.

One of the excuses given often for lack of accessible facilities is budget. The federal government does not have the budget. The state governments do not have the budget. Municipal governments do not have the budget. To exacerbate the situation, municipal governments who are responsible for the approval of building plans do not have the expertise to ensure that MS 1184 is strictly adhered to.

It is all about money. As long as providing accessible public facilities do not generate revenue, there is little reason for the government to spend money on it. From the way I see it, if the disabled people’s movement in Malaysia continue to advocate the way we are used to, come next fifty years, we will still be complaining about the same issue.

Disabled people need to come out with a fresh angle to advocate. We have evolved from advocating solely for disabled people to embrace a wider circle of people who may find such facilities convenient. These include senior citizens, pregnant women, adults with prams and children. This is a good strategy but obviously is not sufficient to move the powers that be.

Advocates for accessibility should seriously consider promoting the idea of inclusive tourism in Malaysia. Tourism is a major industry in this country. According to Tourism Malaysia, 22 million tourist came to Malaysia in 2008 generating a total receipt of RM49,561.2 million.

Inclusive tourism applies the principles of Universal Design to allow the participation of the broadest range of tourists, principally disabled people. However, other categories of tourists like senior citizens may find this form of tourism convenient due to the accessible facilities.

Accessible tourism will definitely benefit the economy by tapping into groups of tourists who do not usually consider Malaysia as a destination previously due to the barriers that we have here. The facilities in turn will benefit disabled people locally. At the same time, it will also spur dosmetic tourism for disabled people as there are presently limited options in travelling to other countries due to the same issues.

I truly feel that this is a strategy worth looking into. We have not gained much all the years that we have advocated for accessibility. If this does not work, we have nothing much to lose anyway. In fact, the tourism industry in Malaysia as a whole has much to lose as more and more countries around the world move towards making their tourist destinations accessible should the powers that be continue to ignore this matter.

MPAJ Seminar And Dialogue With Disabled People, Government Agencies And The Private Sector

Tuan Abdul Hamid Hussain delivering his speech at the seminar and dialogue session with disabled people, government agencies and the private sector at Pandan Lake Club.

Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya (MPAJ) organised the Seminar dan Sesi Dialog Bersama OKU, Agensi Kerajaan dan Pihak Swasta (Seminar and Dialogue Session with Disabled People, Government Agencies and the Private Sector) at the Pandan Lake Club today. The event was to discuss the issue of environmental barriers faced by disabled people staying in the Ampang Jaya municipality together with officers from the municipal council and councillors. The welcoming speech was delivered by MPAJ Deputy President Tuan Abdul Hamid Hussain.

Four speakers were invited to present disability issues. Miss Yeoh Joo Ai from the Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (Department of Social Welfare) presented the Taklimat Dasar OKU, Pelan Tindakan dan Akta OKU (Briefing on the Policy on Disabled Persons, Action Plan and Persons with Disabilities Act). At the panel session, Miss Naziaty Mohd. Yaacob spoke on Alam Bina Bebas Halangan (Barrier Free Built Environment), Mr. Anthony Arokia on Kemudahan Aksesibiliti dan Mobiliti (Accessible Facilities and Mobility), while my presentation was titled Perspektif OKU dalam Aspek Pembangunan (Development Aspects from the Perspective of Disabled Persons). Municipal councillor Ms. Chan Su Sann was the moderator.

Basically, my presentation touched on the inaccessibility around Pandan Perdana and Pandan Indah, which is within the municipality of Ampang Jaya, and why there is a need to rectify this problem. I have been a wheelchair user for 25 years and sad to say, the built environment in Malaysia is still as inaccessible now as it was then. Hopefully, something positive will come out of this. Disabled people have been marginalized for so long that many of us do not really know the true meaning of liberty anymore.

Death Trap For Wheelchair Users At Ayer Keroh RSA

PLUS General Manager of Corporate Communications Puan Khalilah Talha at the Real Roundtable 2006.

Back in 2006, I sat through a presentation by PLUS General Manager of Corporate Communications Puan Khalilah Talha titled Voluntary Corporate Compliance at The Real Rountable (Real Access for Life). The event was organised by the Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat in conjunction with the International Day of Disabled Persons to discuss about the barriers faced by disabled people in society.

PLUS presentation on accessible facilities at rest stops at the Real Roundtable 2006.

The presentation specifically touched on the accessible facilities already constructed at the rest areas and plans to include such facilities in rest areas without them. I referred back to the conference pack and found amongst the presentation, a slide that proclaimed “dedicated handicapped restrooms” at the expressway’s rest and service areas were MS 1184 compliant. Malaysian Standard MS 1184 is the Code of Practice on Access for Disabled Persons to Public Buildings. At that time, I did not have a driving license yet and a newbie to the advocacy moment. I was thoroughly impressed by the progressive attitude of PLUS with regards to accessible facilities at the rest areas.

Ramp with steep gradient at Tapah Rest and Service Area northbound.

For the past year or so, Wuan and I have been travelling up to Ipoh and Penang rather frequently using the North South Expressway. We would usually break our journey at Tapah Rest and Serivce Areas to use the toilet and for some light snacks. PLUS Expressways Berhad had put up signs to indicate accessible facilities at these places, namely parking spaces, ramps and toilets for the convenience of disabled people.

Accessible parking space at Tapah Rest and Service Area northbound.

It was during those trips that I discovered most of the ~~accessible~~ facilities were not in compliance with MS 1184. Ramps were mostly too steep. Fittings in the toilets were at the wrong places. Accessible parkings were not usable and mostly occupied by vehicles not entitled to the facilities. Wheelchair users should be able to use accessible facilities independently but those available at the rest areas were otherwise. Even if I could or wanted to, I would not be able to move conveniently around these places without assistance. Truly, it was a case of “indah khabar dari rupa.”

Parking space that is too narrow for disabled people at Simpang Pulai lay by southbound

Parking space not suitable for disabled people at Simpang Pulai lay by southbound.

When we went to visit my third paternal aunt in Melaka last week, we stopped at the Ayer Keroh Rest and Service Area. The food court and toilets were built on land elevated above the car park. The only way to get to the buildings for me were by way of a series of ramps. There was a yellow signboard with the wheelchair logo. just by the ramp.

Parking spaces and ramp at Ayer Keroh Rest and Serivce Area southbound.

The ramps at the Ayer Keroh RSA do not comply with MS 1184. In fact, the section from leading to the road is a potential death trap for wheelchair users descending the ramps. The gradient was simply too steep even for assisted descent. Ramps should not have a gradient steeper than 1:12, meaning for every 10cm rise, the length of the ramps should be 120cm in length. Outdoor ramps are recommended to have a gradient of 1:15. A good ramp is one that a wheelchair user can ascent or descent effortlessly and independently.

Ramp at Ayer Keroh Rest and Serivce Area southbound.

Wuan got me up the ramp after much huffing and puffing. The ramps connecting the various buildings were no better and do not comply with MS 1184. The accessible toilets were located in either the gents or ladies. Wuan had to accompany me into the gents accessible toilet to assist me. Ideally it would have been better to have separate accessible toilets to avoid embarassment should the personal assistant of the wheelchair user is of the opposite gender.

Ramp at Ayer Keroh Rest and Serivce Area food court southbound.

The accessible toilet inside the gents was locked. Wuan checked the accessible toilet in the ladies. It was locked too. We had to wait for the cleaner to unlock it. I had to quickly do what I wanted to do in there as it reeked of urine. That must have been the most torturous 10 minutes in an accessible toilet for me ever.

Ramp at Ayer Keroh Rest and Serivce Area food court southbound.

When it was time to get back to the car, I checked with a Propel staff if there was an easier way down. Apparently, that ramp was the only way. I had a feeling Wuan would not be able to assist me down the steep ramp. Two of the staff from Propel offered to help me descent to the car park. Even so, they had problems trying to hold my wheelchair from rolling down. I would not be able to go down the ramp by myself unless I had a death wish.

Being helped down the ramp at Ayer Keroh Rest and Service Area.

The wheelchair signboard indicating the ramp is misleading. That is neither a functional ramp nor a safe one to use. PLUS must ensure that accessible facilities bearing the wheelchair logo comply to MS 1184. Building a ramp and putting up a signboard with a wheelchair logo does not necessarily make it usable by disabled people. The ramp must be of the correct gradient, length, surface and fitted with handrails of the proper diameter.

Being helped down the ramp at Ayer Keroh Rest and Service Area.

Likewise PLUS’ responsibility does not end at allocating accessible parking spaces. The company must also ensure that these facilities are used only by people who are entitled to it. There is really no point in putting up signboards indicating parking for disabled people and then allow every Tom, Dick and Harry to park there when none of the occupants of the vehicles are disabled people. Of all the times that I have stopped at the Tapah Rest and Service Area, I could not park there as it was occupied by vehicles not entitled to park there.

The steepest section of the ramp at Ayer Keroh Rest and Service Area.

PLUS still have much room for improvement in providing accessible facilities at rest stops and lay-bys. It would be good for it to engage the services of access officers to do an audit on existing facilities and advice it on future upgrading. This is to ensure that the facilities are truly MS 1184 compliant and fully functional and safe to use by disabled people.