Rapid Penang - OKU Kena Tipu Lagi
On November 26, 2007, I blogged the following:
Is the OKU Card issued by the Department of Social Welfare not good enough? Why is there a need to inconvenience applicants by asking them to get certification from government doctors or the Health Ministry as well? That is not all! Why in heaven’s name do they need a photo showing the impaired anatomy? This is ridiculous. This is disregarding the dignity of disabled people. What? The doctor’s report is not good enough also? The OKU Card is not valid? The people in RapidPenang think the officers in the Department of Social Welfare do not know what they are doing?
Do the people in RapidPenang know what physical disability is in the first place? Can they determine that from a photograph? I am disabled from my chest down. Do I need to pose in the nude to prove it should I intend to apply for the card? Furthermore, why burden disabled people by asking them to incur extra expenditure in getting their anatomy photographed?
If RapidPenang is sincere in giving out concession fare to disabled people, they should make the process as simple as possible. An OKU Card issued by the Department of Social Welfare should be sufficient. I believe RapidPenang’s intention is to alleviate the financial burden faced by disabled people. This noble effort is spoilt by overzealous people that are not in touch with disability issues or have never met disabled persons before. Shame on you RapidPenang for degrading the dignity of disabled people.
After much protest from the disabled community in Penang, Rapid Penang finally revoked the condition for a photograph showing the body part of physical disability. This was conveyed through a mailing list. Rapid Penang also informed members of the mailing list that they have issued a statement to the media regarding this issue but I could not find the news report online. Nevertheless, Rapid Penang still made it mandatory for disabled people who want discounted fares to apply for the concession card.
For two consecutive days since yesterday, The Star published two news reports that senior citizens and disabled people who are registered with the Department of Social Welfare need only to show the OKU card to enjoy half fare on RapidKL and Rapid Penang buses. This should have been the case in the beginning. Who were the smart alecks in the Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad, RapidKL and Rapid Penang who imposed the previous conditions that only the concession card holders were eligible for discounted fares? After all that fuss, now all disabled people need to do is to flash the OKU card. What a waste of time and resources for everyone involved in the exercise.
But, do not be mistaken that disabled people can ride the RapidKL and Rapid Penang buses. Wheelchair users are still not allowed to board the RapidKL buses with the wheelchair logo that are running in the streets now. This is because the Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) refused to give the go-ahead to RapidKL to endorse the buses due to safety concerns regarding the ramps and wheelchair docking systems. The buses were supposed to be officially launched by a minister on June 1, 2007. So now we have buses that were fitted with accessible features at great cost that wheelchair users cannot use. As far as I know BEAT has washed its hands off working with RapidKL on this issue and prefer to concentrate on AirAsia.
As for Rapid Penang, disabled people were informed that 40 of the 150 buses operated by the bus company had ramps for wheelchair users initially. Unfortunately, according to Rapid Penang, the bus stops were damaging the ramps and they had to be dismantled to avoid further damage to the buses. This is evidence of another slipshod work by the people involved. I believe no study was done to ascertain the condition of the bus stops and other infrastructure before the buses were fitted with the ramps. In addition to that, there is no communication between the bus operators, namely RapidKL and Rapid Penang with local authorities to come to an agreement on the standard design of bus stops and all connecting pathways to the bus stops to make them accessible and complement each other.
There was also talk that Rapid Penang will bring in another 100 buses with facilities for wheelchair users. If I am not mistaken, these buses were slated to be put on the road by the end of 2007. We are already into the second month of 2008 but no such buses are in sight. Disabled people have been disappointed again and again by one too many sweet assurances such as this. Despite all the hard work by disabled people and a small group of concerned supporters advocating for accessible buses in Penang, there is no hint that such buses will be made available in the near future.
Wheelchair users in Kuala Lumpur and Penang are still left out from the public transport system. There is no way to move around conveniently. To put it crudely, disabled people have been conned once again. Lets not talk about a masyarakat penyayang when there was never any sincerity in looking after the interests and welfare of disabled people in the first place. All my entries on RapidKL and Rapid Penang are ample proof of it. So what if I have the OKU card? So what if I can get 50% discount with it? There is no way I can ride on these buses. I would not mind being charged the full fare if the buses are wheelchair-friendly. But none are. Truly, disabled people have been taken for a ride over and over again. Apa macam Pak Lah?
Nation
Saturday February 9, 2008
MYT 8:13:36 PMShow Social Welfare ID to get 50% off on Rapid buses
By K. SUTHAKAR
PENANG: Effective Monday, senior citizens and the disabled registered with the Social Welfare Department need only show the identification cards issued by the department when travelling on Rapid Penang and RapidKL buses to get a 50% discount.
To reduce red tape, the Government has done away with the requirement for them to apply for the Rapid Card, issued by the companies.
“We want to simplify things. It is sufficient for them to show the card issued by the department to obtain the 50% ticket concession,” said Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.
He was speaking to reporters at the St Nicholas’ Home here on Saturday.
Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad, who was with him, said it takes about two weeks for the company to process each card application.
He said about 10,000 senior citizens and 400 disabled people travelled daily on Rapid Penang buses.
Nor Mohamed said the problems that prompted the one-day strike by Rapid Penang bus drivers last Monday had been resolved.
“It is a small problem. When there is a problem, we look at it positively and resolve the matter quickly,” he said.
Thousands of bus commuters rushing for work and last-minute Chinese New Year shopping were left stranded on Tuesday when the drivers brought transport to a standstill.
Nation
Sunday February 10, 2008Hassle-free way to enjoy concessions
PENANG: From tomorrow, the disabled and senior citizens registered with the Social Welfare Depart-ment need only to show their identity card issued by the department to enjoy half fares on Rapid Penang and RapidKL buses.
To reduce red tape, the Govern-ment has done away with the requirement for them to apply for the Rapid Card issued by the companies.
“We want to simplify things. It is sufficient for them to show the card issued by the department to obtain a 50% ticket concession,” Second Fi-nance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop told reporters during his visit to the St Nicholas Home here yesterday.
Tags: Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, disabled people Malaysia, non-step bus, OKU, Rapid Penang, wheelchair user
RapidKL Fails To Launch Accessible Buses
Photo by Wuan.
Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd or more commonly known as RapidKL is a subsidiary of Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (SPNB). In turn SPNB or better known as ‘Prasarana’, is the ultimate holding company under Ministry of Finance Incorporated. If RapidKL is a reflection of how Malaysia is being managed, we are all in deep trouble. After 10 months of tinkering with the non-step buses, they still cannot get it right. Wheelchair users are still not allowed to use the buses.
RapidKL Corporate Communications Division Senior Manager Katherine Chew announced on September 24 last year that the bus company would be bringing in 100 non-step buses after the newly-formed Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) organised a campaign to check on the accessibility of bus at the Bangsar LRT Station.
Subsequent to that BEAT met with RapidKL CEO Rein Westra in October 20 and presented him with a memorandum outlining the basic requirements of an accessible bus system that fulfils not only the transportation needs of disabled persons but also senior citizens, pregnant women and adults with prams, among others.
During the meeting, Westra requested to be given four weeks for him to present a proposal to the government on the accessible buses and get back to us. He also repeatedly reminded BEAT not to speak to the press regarding this issue for that duration and threatened to cut all communications with us should we not honour that moratorium. That was the first and last time we heard from him although we kept our part of the deal.
On March 10 this year RapidKL COO Mohd. Ali Mohd. Nor invited BEAT to view a prototype of the accessible bus at its head office in Subang. After testing out the bus, BEAT recommended improvements to the design of the ramp and wheelchair docking system. The edge of the ramp was not flushed with the rest of the ramp and could cause a wheelchair to tip backwards. The docking system was flimsy and could not secure a wheelchair firmly. Moreover, it was not designed to fit all wheelchairs.
During a trial ride of the RapidKL accessible buses on April 26 around the city, BEAT again informed RapidKL of the unsuitability of the ramp and docking system. At the trial ride it was also discovered that there are not many bus stops suitable for the accessible buses due to the extreme differences in height. The lowest the accessible buses can go was 15 inches. The highest bus stops, which forms part of the walkway, was only 10 inches. This mismatched heights made the ramp too steep for unassisted boarding.
On May 4, RapidKL COO Mohd. Ali Mohd. Nor announced at a pre-launch briefing that accessible bus service will be launched on June 1. The event was attended by Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Parlimentary Secretary Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, members of the print and electronic media and about 50 representatives from various NGOs working together under the BEAT banner. Again, we informed RapidKL regarding our concerns with the unsuitability of the ramps and docking system.
The last meeting BEAT had with RapidKL was on June 13. Katherine Chew represented the bus company. At the meeting, we categorically rejected the accessible feature of the buses citing safety concerns. Following that meeting, BEAT sent an email to RapidKL with a 4-point recommendation:
1. Improve the gradient of the ramp to ensure safety of the wheelchair users and persons assisting while boarding and alighting from the bus. This can be achieved via various mechanisms that are commercially available for such purposes.
2. The ramp should be of the same level from end to end. Sudden drops or bumps should be eliminated. In the current design the sharper gradient at the edge of the ramp may cause wheelchairs to tip over even with assisted boarding.
3. Install four point strap-type tiedown to firmly secure wheelchairs. The current single wheel docking clamp is insufficient to fully restrain the wheelchair in the event of collision or sudden braking.
4. To include BEAT members in all stages of design and installation of such features to ensure safety and functionality.
All in all, BEAT has informed RapidKL on more than four occasions regarding the ramps and docking system. Until today, nothing has been done to rectify the problems we pointed out. The buses are already on the road picking up passengers. However, as the buses were never officially launched despite what was announced during the pre-launch briefing, bus drivers refused to pick up wheelchair users because according to them, their management has instructed them not to do so.
Reading the chronology of the entire fiasco, I can only come to a conclusion that RapidKL never thought out properly all the factors of an accessible bus system when they hastily announced the acquisitions of 100 accessible buses. The design of the bus stops were never put into consideration at the time of acquisition. RapidKL unilaterally designed the ramps and docking systems according to their own understanding of how these features should be.
Now, RapidKL has 100 non-step buses that were supposed to be usable by wheelchair users but are not. How much money was spent in installing these buses with a non-functional accessible features? The biggest mistake on RapidKL’s part was in not consulting with disabled persons on the design. Disabled persons, especially wheelchair users, were never consulted on the suitability of the accessible and safety features. This kind of attitude goes against the motto of the 2004 International Day of Disabled Persons which was “Nothing about us without us.”
The management of RapidKL must understand that ultimately people in wheelchairs and other forms of disability are the end users. We are the people who will be using these buses everyday. We have no other alternatives to move around conveniently, especially people who have severe disabilities. We must be consulted every step of they way to ensure that the features installed to serve our needs are safe and functional.
The irony of all this is that RapidKL, Prasarana or even the government has no long-term plan to ensure that their entire bus fleet will be fully accessible but at the same time we keep seeing new but non-accessible buses being put into service. While the public transport needs of the general public are continually being improved, disabled persons are still being left behind – marginalised from mainstream society by the tidak apa attitudes of the people tasked with providing public transport with money that came out from taxpayers’ pockets.
The government must shoulder the blame entirely for this debacle. The Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport, Minstry of Entreprenuer and Co-operative Development and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, among others, are responsible in part in their respective capacities to ensure an accessible public transportation system. After spending so much money to bring in non-step buses and fitting them with accessible feature, these buses are still not functional due to so many reasons and problems that are associated with so many ministries who are not actively doing their part in solving the said problems. It is time Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi step in to ensure that public transportation problems of disabled persons are settled once and for all.
Pak Lah, we are humbly pleading with you to lift us out of this predicament. Help us solve this where your other ministers have failed. We, the disabled people of Malaysia, needs an accessible public transport system to help us go to school to get an education; allow us to commute to our places of employment; participate in social, cultural, religious and political activities. We need an accessible public transport to become part of society. Apa macam Pak Lah?
Tags: Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, disabled people Malaysia, non-step bus
Disabled Persons’ Endless Problems With Public Transport
Photo by Wuan.
During RapidKL’s accessible buses pre-launch briefing for the media, Chief Operating Office Mohd. Ali. Mohd. Nor announced that 100 accessible buses will be put into service in the Klang Valley on June 1. These buses will only serve the trunk lines and city shuttles but not the local shuttles that serve housing estates. This defeats the purpose of putting these buses in service as wheelchair users will be unable to get to the trunk line hubs from their homes. Mohd. Ali should realise that the last mile connectivity is as important as the trunk lines and city shuttles.
Another major area of concern is the mismatch of height between the bus stops and the buses. The difference can be as much as 9 inches, rendering the gradient of the ramp too steep even with assisted boarding for wheelchair users. This is prevalent in most of the bus stops that the Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) and officers from RapidKL discovered during a preview of the buses.
Local authorities are responsible for infrastructure such as bus stops and walkways. They must work hand in hand with RapidKL to ensure that this problem is resolved soonest possible. Additionally, walkways must be made accessible as required by the Uniform Building By-Law 34A (UBBL 34A). This by-law had been gazetted by the various state governments in the mid-90s. Unfotunately, the requirement of this by-law is ignored most of the time, leading to the pathetic and dangerous state of the walkways that exist now.
Disabled persons cannot and should not be expected to advocate to so many different ministries on only a single issue like public transport. For example, we have met with Deputy Minister of Finance Datuk Dr. Ng Yen Yen and Minister of Transport Dato’ Seri Chan Kong Choy. RapidKL is owned by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad which is the holding company under the Ministry of Finance Incorporated. At the same time RapidKL is also under the purview of the Ministry of Transport. Additionally, due to the bus stops being inaccessible, we have to advocate to the various local authorities which is under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and the Menteri Besar. And that is only one thin slice of the issues that affects disabled persons.
Dato’ Seri Chan had the foresight to establish a high level public transport advisory committee chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General of the ministry to look into the grouses of disabled persons with regards to public transport. According the him, it was set up as a single platform for disabled persons to voice out their problems without the need to run around to meet the different transport operators individually. For this, Dato’ Seri Chan gets two thumbs up.
However, it is time the government see the bigger picture of the problems faced by disabled persons. It is neither feasible nor cost effective to address issues on a piecemeal basis. The most apparent example is the mismatch of height between RapidKL’s accessible buses and bus stops. Solving one problem creates a host of other problems. It is a never ending cycle. By the way things are being done now disabled persons will still be facing barriers come the next fifty years.
Several leaders in the disability movement in Malaysia have suggested that a division be set up within the highest level of the government, namely the Office of the Prime Minister, to oversee and manage all issues related to disabled persons. With that, we do not have to scamper from one ministry to another to have our voices heard and our issues resolved. As far as we can see, this is the most effective solution. Apa macam Pak Lah?
Tags: Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Chan Kong Choy, Ng Yen Yen, non-step bus
BEAT’s Recommendation To The Ministry of Transport Malaysia
CADANGAN KEPADA
KEMENTERIAN PENGANGKUTAN MALAYSIA
UNTUK MENYERTAKAN KEMUDAHAN MUDAHCAPAI (ACCESSIBLE FACILITIES) DALAM PELAN INDUK PENGANGKUTAN NEGARA
oleh Barrier-Free Environment & Accessible Transport Group (BEAT)Pengenalan
Pengangkutan awam yang sempurna adalah salah satu tunjang pembangunan negara. Ia merupakan garis yang dapat melengkapkan titik-titik dalam aktiviti sosial, pendidikan, ekonomi, politik, keagamaan, kebudayaan dan seterusnya. Tidak dapat dinafikan bahawa pengangkutan adalah amat penting dalam kehidupan seharian setiap warga Malaysia dalam zaman moden ini.Sistem pengangkutan perlu mudahcapai (accessible) kepada semua golongan masyarakat. Pada masa kini, sistem pengangkutan yang sedia ada masih tidak mengambil kira keperluan golongan yang mengalami kesulitan pergerakan (mobility impairment) termasuk orang kurang upaya (OKU), warga mas, ibu yang mengandung, orang dewasa dengan kereta tolak dan kanak-kanak.
Kesan Kekurangan Pengangkutan Mudahcapai di Malaysia
Pengangkutan awam darat, udara serta air masih tidak mudahcapai, tidak selamat dan tidak mudahguna untuk golongan-golongan tersebut, terutamanya OKU, dan kami merasa tersisih dari arus pembangunan negara. Oleh sebab pergerakan kami yang amat terhad maka peluang untuk kami serta menyumbang tenaga dalam masyarakat pun amat terhad, khasnya OKU yang mempunyai kecacatan yang teruk. Golongan ini adalah satu kumpulan yang paling tersisih kerana tidak terdapat sebarang pengangkutan awam yang mudahcapai serta mesra OKU terutamanya bagi mereka yang berkerusi roda untuk memenuhi keperluan pergerakan mereka dari satu tempat ke tempat lain.Setiap polisi, perancangan awal dan reka bentuk serta pengurusan alam bina dan pengangkutan awam perlu dirombak semula dengan menggunakan Model Sosial Ketidakupayaan yang mengutamakan kebolehcapaian dan alam bina bebas halangan. Kalau dilihat dari perspektif yang dipraktikkan sekarang, OKU dianggapkan sebagai punca masalah, di mana golongan OKU dikatakan tidak dapat menyesuaikan diri dengan alam sekitar. Tetapi apabila dilihat pada keseluruhannya, masalah ketidakbolehcapaian ini adalah tanggungjawab institusi yang membuat keputusan di peringkat perancangan, rekabentuk dan operasi perkhidmatan yang tidak mengambil kira kesulitan yang akan dialami oleh OKU jikalau kemudahan tidak mudahcapai dan tidak mudahguna didirikan.
Kemudahan Mudahcapai Memanfaatkan Semua
Keperluan mudahcapai tidak patut dilihat sebagai satu ciri tambahan atau luarbiasa. Golongan OKU dan sesiapa yang akan memanfaat dari kemudahan ini adalah sebahagian dari masyarakat dan setiap kemudahan awam sepatutnya mudahcapai dan boleh digunakan oleh sebanyak orang mungkin, termasuk OKU.Cadangan
Dengan itu, kami ingin mencadangkan kepada Kementerian Pengangkutan Malaysia untuk mengambil kira tentang isu-isu mobiliti dan kemudahcapaian, dan menyertakan polisi mesra pengguna tidak kira keupayaan fizikal ataupun apa-apa kekurangan lain apabila merangka Pelan Induk Pengangkutan Negara.1. Piawaian, Perlaksanaan dan Pemantauan
i) Bagi melaksanakan cadangan yang akan dinyatakan perwakilan dari pihak OKU (Access Advisory Group) mestilah disertakan di semua peringkat dalam segala perbincangan, penggubalan polisi dan keputusan perlaksanaan yang berkaitan dengan pengangkutan.
ii) Satu Piawaian Pengangkutan Mudahcapai (Standard of Accessibility in Transportation) untuk memastikan segala kemudahan mesra adalah mengikut reka bentuk yang berfungsi dan selamat digunakan.
iii) Satu badan penyelaras harus ditubuhkan untuk memastikan polisi pengangkutan mudahcapai dilaksanakan dengan sempurna.
iv) Semua infrastruktur dan perkhidmatan dalam rangkaian pengangkutan awam mesti mudahcapai dan mengikut piawaian yang ditetapkan ataupun mengikut piwaian antarabangsa yang sedia ada.
v) Satu tempoh masa (time frame) perlu ditetapkan di mana kategori-kategori pengangkutan yang masih belum mudahcapai mesti mematuhi piawaian tersebut, misalannya 25% dari bas awam mesti mesra pengguna/OKU dalam tempoh 2 tahun, 50% dalam tempoh 5 tahun dan seterusnya.
2. Pemandu OKU dan Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan
i) Pejabat-pejabat Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan mesti mudahcapai. Pada masa ini, OKU mengalami masaalah apabila hendak berurus di pejabat-pejabat Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan disebabkan oleh halangan-halangan fizikal dan pembinaan yang tidak mengikut ciri-ciri mudahcapai.
ii) OKU yang ingin memandu terpaksa berurusan dengan beberapa bahagian di JPJ untuk mendapatkan lesen dan kelulusan ubahsuai. Dicadangkan supaya satu bahagian dipertanggungjawabkan untuk mengurus segala permohonan tersebut.
iii) Di samping itu, bahagian yang sama dipertanggungjawabkan untuk mengeluarkan pelekat (sticker) untuk meletak kereta ubahsuai OKU di tempat yang dikhaskan. Kereta yang tidak menunjukkan pelekat tersebut harus di denda atau tindakan sewajarnya dikenakan.
iv) Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan harus bekerjasama dengan Jabatan Kerja Raya dan mana-mana pihak yang berkenaan untuk merangkakan satu piawaian untuk membina laluan motor yang mengambilkira dimensi motor ubahsuai OKU.
3. Perancangan dan Penguatkuasaan
i) Memastikan semua infrastruktur dan kenderaan pengangkutan awam yang dilancarkan dari tahun 2007 dan selanjutnya adalah bercirikan mudahcapai.
ii) Memastikan bahawa segala polisi yang dibuat dapat dikuatkuasa dari segi undang-undang supaya polisi-polisi tesebut bukan sekadar sahaja di dalam kertas tetapi dizahirkan dengan sebaik mungkin. Adalah penting untuk melantik jawatankuasa pemantau yang terdiri daripada golongan OKU untuk meneliti serta memberi pandangan kepada polisi serta penguatkuasaan polisi-polisi tersebut.
iii) Memastikan bukan sahaja pengangkutan awam bercirikan mudahcapai dan mudahguna tetapi pusat-pusat yang berkaitan dengan perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam hendaklah diubahsuai atau dibina bercirikan mudahcapai.
iv) Ciri-ciri keselamatan dalam pengangkutan awam juga harus dititikberatkan. Walaupun pengangkutan awam adalah mudahcapai namun ciri-ciri teknikal seperti penempatan golongan OKU didalam pengangkutan awam tersebut perlu di ditandakan dengan nyata, misalnya tempat khas untuk pengguna kerusi roda didalam bas, LRT dan lain-lain.
v) Melaksanakan sistem kuota untuk memastikan syarikat-syarikat teksi yang diberikan lesen memperuntukan seperatusan teksi yang mudahcapai, misalnya 10% daripada 100 teksi mesti mudahcapai dan mudahguna.
4. Pengangkutan Darat:
i) Semua perhentian bas dan perhentian keretapi/rel bandaraya (urban rail) dibina bercirikan mudahcapai untuk memastikan ia sesuai digunakan oleh semua golongan masyarakat.
ii) Laluan persambungan (connecting pathways) ke perhentian bas mesti bercirikan mudahcapai mengikut piwaian dan undang-undang yang sedia ada.
iii) Semua bas awam mestilah jenis non-step untuk kemudahan pengunaan golongan OKU, warga mas dan mereka yang mempunyai kesulitan pergerakan ataupun menggunakan kerusi roda.
iv) Semua rangkaian keretapi dan rel bandaraya (urban rail) mesti bercirikan mudahcapai dan selamat digunakan.
v) Sila rujuk kepada Lampiran 1 untuk cadangan seterusnya. Lampiran 1 telah disediakan sebagai memorandum kepada Rapid KL untuk melaksanakan rangkaian bas awam di Lembah Klang mudahcapai.
5. Pengangkutan Air:
i) Semua pelabuhan untuk pengangkutan awam air mesti dibina mengikut ciri mudahcapai dan selamat digunakan.
ii) Pengangkutan air awam seperti kapal dan feri mesti bercirikan mudahcapai.
iii) Keselamatan semasa menggunakan perkhidmatan pengangkutan air mesti diutamakan.
iv) Satu garispanduan mesti dirangkakan untuk tujuan tersebut.
6. Pengangkutan Udara:
i) Semua lapangan terbang dibina bercirikan mudahcapai untuk memastikan ia sesuai digunakan oleh semua golongan masyarakat.
ii) Lapangan terbang domestik yang tidak mempunyai aerobridge mesti dilengkapkan dengan ambulift untuk menyenangkan OKU memasuki kapal terbang.
iii) OKU mesti dikecualikan daripada bayaran perkhidmatan seperti menggunakan kerusi roda, pembantu untuk orang buta dan sebagainya seperti yang sedang dilaksanakan oleh syarikat-syarikat penerbangan bajet. Kerusi roda dan pembantu untuk OKU adalah keperluan asas dan bukan satu kemewahan.
iv) Syarikat-syarikat penerbangan mesti dilarang memaksa penumpang OKU menandatangani surat lepas tanggungan (indemnity letter) sebelum menaiki kapalterbang. Memaksa OKU menandatangani surat lepas tanggungan dan jikalau arahan itu tidak dipatuhi, OKU dilarang dari menaiki kapalterbang adalah satu perbuatan diskriminasi yang nyata terhadap golongan OKU.
v) Syarikat penerbangan mesti melaksanakan satu tatacara yang sistematik untuk mengurus segala isu berkenaan dengan penumpang OKU.
vi) Satu jawatankuasa untuk memantau dan memastikan segala pembaruan yang dibuat terhadap pengangkutan udara di Malaysia haruslah mudahcapai dan dilaksanakan secara sempurna.
vii) Memastikan syarikat penerbangan yang beroperasi di Malaysia dapat memberikan pendedahan secukupnya untuk memastikan pekerja-pekerja di luar lapangan terbang dan di dalam kapal bersedia membantu OKU dalam segala segi yang berkaitan dari masa seorang OKU menaiki pengangkutan udara sehingga OKU sampai ke destinasi yang ingin ditujui dengan mewajibkan kakitangan-kakitangan tertentu menduduki kursus cara mengendalikan OKU.Pengangkutan Awam Di Pulau Pinang
BEAT mengalu-alukan pengumuman oleh Perdana Menteri pada 20 Februari 2007 bahawa Rapid KL akan menubuhkan satu rangakaian bas awam di Pulau Pinang yang diberi nama RapidPenang. Kami berharap RapidPenang tidak membuat kesilapan sama seperti di Lembah Klang di mana keseluruhan perkhidmatan bas awam adalah tidak mudahcapai dan tidak mesra OKU.Kami berharap Kementerian Pengangkutan bekerjasama dengan Kementerian Kewangan dan mana-mana kementerian lain yang berkenaan untuk mendapatkan bas non-step untuk kesemua 150 buah bas yang dibeli kelak. Golongan OKU tidak seharusnya menderita disebabkan oleh kesilapan sesetengah pihak yang tidak mengambil kira keperluan OKU dan mereka yang mengalami kesulitan pergerakan yang ingin menggunakan perkhidmatan bas awam.
Pada masa yang sama, rancangan rel bandaraya Pulau Pinang yang telah diluluskan mesti mudahcapai kesuluruhannya apabila beroperasi nanti. Tidak ada sebab yang munasabah mengapa golongan OKU disisihkan lagi dalam projek ini yang sepatutnya memanfaatkan semua lapisan masyarakat.
Dalam pada itu, kami menyeru Kementerian Pengangkutan, Kementerian Kewangan, Rapid KL, RapidPenang dan mana-mana pihak yang mewakili pengurusan projek tersebut untuk berbincang dengan pihak-pihak yang mempunyai kepentingan (stakeholders) dalam perkhidmatan bas awam di Pulau Pinang, khususnya pengguna-pengguna bas dan pertubuhan-pertubuhan OKU untuk menyelami keperluan mereka serta mendapatkan maklumbalas dan keperluan mereka dalam pembangunan yang terbaru ini.
Kesimpulan
Pendek kata, cadangan-cadangan dan pendekatan yang dipohon oleh OKU janganlah dipandang sebagai keterlaluan, bahkan izinkanlah kami yang dilabel OKU diberi peluang buktikan keupayaan kami mampu berdaya saing, satu komponen modal insan yang dapat menyumbang dalam menyempurnakan visi Pembangunan Negara yang diilhamkan oleh Perdana Menteri kita.Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) merangkumi 16 Pertubuhan OKU dan beberapa individu seperti disenaraikan di bawah:
• Persatuan Damai Orang-Orang Kurang Upaya Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan
• Beautiful Gate Foundation for The Disabled
• Malaysian Spinal Injuries Association
• Persatuan Mobiliti Selangor & Kuala Lumpur
• Persatuan Orang-Orang Cacat Anggota Malaysia
• Society of the Blind in Malaysia
• Malaysian Association for the Blind
• Society of the Chinese Disabled Persons Malaysia
• Persatuan Kristian Shuang Fu untuk orang Kurang Upaya Kuala Lumpur
• Persatuan Pemulihan Orang Cacat Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan
• Selangor Cheshire Home
• Malaysian Information Network on Disabilities
• Dignity & Services
• United Voice (Self-Advocacy Society of Persons with Learning Disabilities Selangor & Kuala Lumpur)
• Selangor Council for Welfare and Social Development
• Majlis Paralimpik Malaysia
• Christine Lee Soon Kup
• Naziaty Mohd. Yaacob
• Peter Tan Hua ChoonCadangan ini telah disediakan oleh:
Peter Tan Hua Choon
V. Murugeswaran
28 Februari 2007
Tags: Chan Kong Choy, non-step bus
