Saturday May 3, 2008

The Star - Metro

Free bus rides for the poor

By TAN KARR WEI

THERE will be a free community bus service for poor residents in Petaling Jaya starting on June 3, said mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.

“We are targeting poorer areas in the city. The bus is more for senior citizens and housewives who need to do their marketing or run errands. The bus will even pass by University Hospital,” said Roslan.

The bus service will start from the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) in SS8, Kelana Jaya, and go to areas like PJS6, PJS2, Jalan 12, Jalan 1/1, PJS 3, PJS 1, Jalan Templer, Jalan Othman, Jalan Yong Shook Lin, Jalan Gasing, Jalan Universiti, Section 19/8, SS2, SS4A/1, SS6/3, SS5/1 and back onto the LDP, completing a circular route.

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) bought a new bus, which seats about 30 for RM200,000 and refurbished another at a cost of about RM100,000

The bus service will run from 9.30am to 4.30pm, from Monday to Friday.

MBPJ will also provide a transit service for disabled people.

A van fitted with a hydraulic lift will ferry them from their doorstep to their destination.

MBPJ LA21 officer Lee Lih Shyan said for now, the service was by appointment, as there was only one van available.

The van can ferry two wheelchair-bound persons at a time and four if the wheelchairs can be folded.

The service is also available from 9.30am to 4.30 pm and those interested in using the service can call 03-7956 3544 (ext 351 and 370).
For those in need: Roslan (right) and Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee checking out the new bus.

“We hope that companies will come forward to sponsor more buses and vans or the maintenance costs to run these services,” said Roslan.

The trial run of the bus service will start in the middle of May and public feedback is welcomed and can be forwarded to LA21 officer Lee Lih Shyan lee@mbpj.gov.my, acting engineering director Ismail Shafie ismail@mbpj.gov.my or public relations officer Zainun Zakaria zainun@mbpj.gov.my

Respect the disabled, Ng tells MP

The Star - Saturday May 3, 2008

Respect the disabled, Ng tells MP

KUALA LUMPUR: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry will send a letter to the Pasir Mas MP to warn him against making insensitive remarks about disabled people.

Its minister, Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, said she had instructed her officer to send the letter to independent candidate Datuk Ibrahim Ali at the post-Cabinet meeting yesterday.

“His words have hurt many disabled people and he has to be more cautious in future.

“He has to be more selective in his words and be sensitive,” she said at a press conference.

In the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday, Ibrahim had teased wheelchair-bound Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh for “not respecting the House” by not standing up when speaking in Parliament.

The message for the Labours Day from President of ILTC

The message for the Labours Day from President of ILTC

Recently the government opening wide the door to the civil service for disabled people.

Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said in a circular the move was in line with the government's vision to create a caring society by 2020 by hiring of about 10,200 disabled people will begin immediately.

It is also in line with efforts to promote the development of human capital as envisioned by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The government has agreed that at least one per cent of civil servants be made up of the disabled and this is a good opportunity for the disabled to contribute to the nation.

ILTC welcomed the government’s move to open up the civil workforce to the disabled.

ILTC also look forward the government’s to ensure the working environment must also be disabled-friendly

ILTC urged that, the government should look at the bigger scale and remove social barriers. At same time the government should improve and provide better transportation towards the disabled persons in Malaysia.

To Appoint Disabled Persons in the State Executive Council in the State of Selangor

Thursday, May 01, 2008

The Message from ILTC President

To Appoint Disabled Persons in the State Executive Council in the State of Selangor

ILTC hope that, new Selangor government should appoint disabled persons in the state executive council. The disabled persons may have new ideas which could be of help to the state government in formulating policies to ensure that they were comprehensive.

It will enable disabled persons get involved in the process of formulating state policies. The government has to hear our views especially on our needs to enable us to be people-friendly in their policies.

Larian Obor Paralimpiad Malaysia XIV Kuala Lumpur 2008

Larian Obor Paralimpiad Malaysia XIV Kuala Lumpur 2008
8 ILTC members were invited to participate in the Larian Obor Paralimpiad Malaysia Ke 14 Kuala Lumpur on 30th April 2008 started 12.30pm from Brickfields towards Menara KL Tower was ended 3.00pm.
Mr. Segaran member of ILTC had shared his view on this event. He said it was a good opportunity to him to expose himself to participate in this event and also the event has given a lot of opportunity and hope for himself to participate in the upcoming events.

Mr. Robert said his personal thanks to ILTC for given him an opportunity to participate in this event and he added that the organizer should organized more in order to get more publicity.

Selangor Government to seek legal advice on Balkis affair

Saturday April 26, 2008
The Star - News

Selangor Government to seek legal advice on Balkis affair

PETALING JAYA: The Selangor Government will seek legal advice on the controversy involving the Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MPs Welfare and Charity Organisation (Balkis) and its funds.

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the political secretary to Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, said the MB did not want to make any further statement on the matter as the state was currently consulting its lawyers.

“We are looking into the legal aspects of the application to dissolve Balkis and also the transfer of its funds before we decide on the next course of action,” he said, adding that the state would take legal action against the organisation’s office bearers if there was any wrongdoing.

In the meantime, the state government has asked the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to ignore the application to disband Balkis made by its previous president Datin Seri Zahrah Kechik, the wife of former Selangor MB Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo.

The state government said in a statement on Thursday that Balkis made the application following a decision during an emergency meeting held on March 11.

It argued that Zahrah could not hold office after the March 8 general election as Dr Khir was no longer MB.

It said that the organisation’s constitution clearly stated that the president had to be the Selangor MB's wife and after the Barisan Nasional lost the state, Zahrah did not have the right to represent Balkis or make the application, and even her right to chair the emergency meeting was questionable.

The state government also felt that disbanding Balkis under such circumstances was against the spirit behind its formation in 1985 to help the needy, provide ideas to the government on welfare issues and help Malaysians of all races and religions.

The statement said a Balkis official had informed the state government that RM9.9mil was moved from the organisation to the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti).

It said the MB's office had also been informed that part of the funds under Balkis came from state-owned companies like Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd which contributed over RM268,000 last year and the Selangor State Development Corporation which contributed more than RM590,000 in 2006 and 2007.

“The state government, therefore, is asking the ROS not to approve the application (to disband Balkis) until the contributions from all the state-owned companies have been ascertained,” the statement continued.

The state government said that it and all its companies would soon request that all contributions made to Balkis be returned, as the organisation was only acting as a trustee for the funds that were to be used for welfare purposes.

Bar Council vice-chairman Ragunath Kesavan said the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) must investigate Balkis for removing almost RM9.9mil from its bank account.

“There is a potential criminal breach of trust (element) or corruption, therefore the ACA must act fast. The money belongs to the association members, not to the office bearers.

“There are rules and regulations to be followed under the Registrar of Societies,” he said.

Disabled group: Easier to get aid from Balkis

Sunday April 27, 2008

The Star - News

Disabled group: Easier to get aid from Balkis

PETALING JAYA: A charitable organisation is worried that no more donations will come from Balkis now that its funds have been transferred to the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti).

The Independent Living and Training Centre for the Disabled (ILTC) has occasionally received financial aid from Balkis in the past, the highest amount being RM15,000 for three threewheeled motorcycles for its members.

“Now that the money has gone to Bakti, it will be more difficult for us to get help.

“We tried to apply for seven such vehicles on behalf of our members four years ago from Bakti but the application was rejected because we were not allowed to make such a request as an organisation.

“The reason given by Bakti was that only individuals were allowed to seek its help,” said ILTC president Francis Siva.

He added that many of its members could not make their own request as they were either illiterate or not well-versed in applying for aid.

Francis said many members were disappointed with the development as it was easier to approach Balkis than Bakti.

“Previously, we submitted our requests through state assemblymen who would later forward our applications to Balkis but now we are left in the lurch as we do not even know how to contact Bakti members,” he said.