The Star Online
Metro
Home > Metro > CentralMonday June 1, 2009
Menara MPAJ to be more disabled-friendly
Story and photo by FAZLEENA AZIZTHE Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) carried out a disability awareness simulation programme at its building in Pandan Indah recently.
The programme was held to give the council an overview of how disabled-friendly Menara MPAJ is.
It came after a discussion at the People with Disability dialogue held on Feb 17.
Uphill task: Mohammad making his way up the ramp in Menara MPAJ.MPAJ president Datuk Mohammad Yacob and the councillors got a first-hand experience as they made their way to different places in the building in wheelchairs.
Mohammad said the MPAJ had plans to build a ramp in accordance with specifications on the needs of disabled people, as well as other facilities.
“This is an old building that was built in 1994 and is not sensitive to the needs of the disabled.
“So this exercise will help us fill in any gaps we may have pertaining to being more disabled-friendly,” he said.
He added that the council would take the necessary action on the matter.
The specifications are from the Guidelines on Building Requirements for Disabled Persons issued by the Local Government and Housing Ministry.
Mohammad said that new commercial buildings had implemented the specifications.
“Our advice is that other building owners should make their premises more disabled-friendly.
“If we want to make this mandatory, then we will have to make a new policy,” he said.
The MPAJ has prepared a separate checklist on the needs of people with disability that plans for housing and commercial developments must comply with before approvals are given.
This is one of the ways to ensure that the disabled community will enjoy the same facilities as others.
The MPAJ has also placed two wheelchairs on level 4 of the building for the use of people who need them.
