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WHEEL POWERBy ANTHONY THANASAYAN
The provision of special carpark lots for the disabled will benefit everyone.
OF ALL the Merdeka Day celebrations, this year’s was the most significant for me. Last Sunday, as I was listening to the radio at midnight, welcoming our 51st anniversary together with other listeners, I was suddenly overcome by emotion.
I found for the first time that as a disabled citizen, I am now able to rejoice with others in celebrating the true meaning of independence.
I’m referring to the 150 carpark lots for the disabled that Majlis Bandaran Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) will be providing all over the city. Work on the project starts this month and is expected to be completed before Christmas.
Many drivers with disabilities have contacted me to say that they can’t wait to test out MBPJ’s carpark for the disabled.
The city council will ensure that wheelchair users have ample space to get their wheelchairs in and out of their cars. A unique feature is that each parking lot comes with a shelter to protect drivers from the elements.
A hot sunny day can turn the car seat into a hot seat. This can cause blisters and sores for those with paralysed limbs. Because of the numbness, most of them will not realise that the seat is hot until the damage has been done. And when that happens, the situation is often irreversible.
Umbrellas are also useless for wheelchair users when it rains. Whilst an able-bodied person can zip into his car within seconds, the disabled will need at least 10 to 15 minutes to perform the same task. Time is needed to position wheelchairs before the driver swings himself into his car.
One wrong move can send the him or her crashing to the ground.
The overhead shelter will come in handy for caregivers too when they travel with their disabled children or parents. To use the special carparks, you need to get hold of MBPJ’s specially designed wheelchair logos. These will be available free of charge soon.
The disabled will have to produce their ID registration cards for the handicapped. For those who haven’t registered, now is a good time to do so.
Those who have yet to be recognised officially as disabled persons – for example, those with Parkinson’s disease or stroke – need only produce a letter from a government doctor or the society they are a member of, verifying their disability.
Providing these disabled-friendly structures is a positive start towards changing the lot of the disabled. Such facilities will encourage the disabled and their families to come out and participate in public life.
Disabled-friendly carparks will raise awareness that there are many disabled Malaysians among us, and we will move one step forward in creating, to use MBPJ’s theme: “A liveable society and dynamic city for all persons.”
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