Broken Pavement At Pandan Perdana

It has been a while since I wheeled to the Pandan Perdana wet market with Wuan. Most of the time we just drive there although it is just a short walk from where we live due to the various barriers we encounter on the pavements along the way. Last Sunday, we decided to take a leisurely walk to the market for breakfast. What I encountered that morning reminded me of why I had seldom gone on such strolls.

Broken pavement at Jalan Perdana 3/1, Pandan Perdana
Wheelchair user on the road to avoid the broken pavement at Pandan Perdana.

A damaged section of the pavement forced me to go on the road. This broken pavement at Jalan Perdana 3/1 of Pandan Perdana has gone unrepaired for the past few months. A heavy crane truck that parked on it broke the concrete and gouged a big hole in the turfing. Many residents use this route to go to the wet market and also to the bus stop situated just down the road. Pedestrians, especially senior citizens, may trip on the broken slabs of concrete. Wheelchair users like me have no choice but go on the road and risk getting run over by passing vehicles.

It is very common to see vehicles parked on it causing pedestrians to go on the road as well. Such inconsiderate drivers should be heavily penalised for illegal parking, causing obstruction and endangering pedestrians. The Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya should step up its enforcement against these law breakers. Another alternative is to put up bollards or rails to prevent vehicles from parking on the pavements. However, the pavements needs to be widened to 1200 mm to conform to the MS 1184 and MS 1331. It is a tight fit for wheelchair in its current form at 900 mm.

Update #2 Of The Pandan Perdana Pavement Upgrade

The pavement upgrade works were completed yesterday. Fellow accessibility advocate Robert Wang who also resides at Pandan Perdana went to check and discovered that the ramps were too steep. This was despite assurances from Encik Zahari of Jabatan Kejuruteraan Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya (MPAJ) that the ramps would be built according to the code of practice which is the Malaysian Standard MS 1184 and MS 1331. Robert made an appointment to meet Encik Zahari this morning to discuss about rectifying the mistakes.

At the meeting we conducted a brief audit of the ramps and pavement. Encik Zahari concurred that the ramps were not properly done. The three ramps that we checked all had gradients of 1:6 when it should have been the ratio of 1:15. It is an impossibility for a wheelchair to go up a gradient of 1:6 without tipping backwards. We discovered that the width of the pavements was only 900mm when the code of practice recommended 1200mm. The pavement connecting to both ends of the bus stop were not flushed. There was difference of height of 1 inch. This uneven height is a barrier to wheelchair users. Moreover, non-disabled people who are not aware of the small steps may trip over them and injure themselves. Encik Zahari assured us that he will get the contractor to rectify the mistakes.

What I cannot comprehend is the fact that Malaysia has the capability to build the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, SMART Tunnel and the award winning Kuala Lumpur International Airport but we cannot even build a decent pavement that is safe and usable by everyone. This is also most disappointing especially when MPAJ had given their commitment to improve accessibility in the Ampang Jaya municipality by organising 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) and Disability Awareness Training. What more will it take to ensure that the accessibility needs of disabled people are not forgotten? As it is, our needs are often ignored and disregarded unless we make the effort to remind the government of our existence.

Ramp to upgraded pavement at Pandan Perdana
Poorly built ramp at Pandan Perdana.

Steep ramp at Pandan Perdana
Close-up of the ramp – too steep for wheelchair user to ascend unassisted.

Uneven levels between the bus stop and pavement
Arrows pointing to the uneven levels between the bus stop and pavement.

Uneven level between bus stop and pavement
A closer view of the uneven level between the bus stop and pavement.

Steep ramp at Pandan Perdana
The ramp at the other end of the pavement.

Steep ramp at Pandan Perdana
Yet another steep ramp at the other side of the road.

Update #1 On The Pandan Perdana Pavement Upgrade

Early this morning, I received a call from Encik Zahari from the Jabatan Kejuruteraan of Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya (MPAJ). I had sent an email to the MPAJ on Monday to protest the lack of kerb ramps in the stretch of pavement currently being upgraded. A bus stop is located on the pavement. It is important that this particular stretch is made accessible to ensure that wheelchair users are able to get to the bus stop and catch a bus when RapidKL deploy their non-step buses to this route.

Encik Zahari gave the assurance that ramps will be built on both ends of the pavements that are being upgraded. The kerbs that have been put in place will be removed to accomodate the ramps. There would not have been a need to remove the kerbs had it been done correctly in the first place. I told him that the gradients of the ramps should have a ratio of 1:15 or less. They should gentle enough for wheelchair users to traverse up independently. I have seen bad ramps all over Kuala Lumpur, especially those done by Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL). These ramps are too steep and are not seamless from road to pavement. There is usually a small step from the road to the ramp. That may cause a wheelchair going up to tip backwards.

From this episode, it is apparent that the authorities have not taken the issues of access for disabled people into account. There should not even be a need for me to remind the parties concerned that public facilities should be inclusive, more so when new infrastructure is being built or when the existing ones are being upgraded. Accessible facilities should have been the norm. In Malaysia’s march to becoming a developed nation, we cannot, should not, ignore the fact that disabled people still have to struggle with third world infrastructure. The “developing nation” status will be meaningless when a segment of the population is still marginalised in so many ways.