A hero of the disabled

Saturday, 12 July 2008

New Straits Times

A hero of the disabled
Sheila Sri Priya

Anthony Sivabalan Thanasayan is the first ever disabled person to be an MBPJ councillor.

PETALING JAYA: Anthony Sivabalan Thanasayan may have grown up with the disadvantage of being disabled, but the greatest obstacle he has faced in his life has had less to do with his disability per se, and more with the discrimination and lack of consideration shown by society to people like him.

For a while during his formative years, it seemed as if Anthony's spirit was beaten.

After a botched operation at the age of 10 left him paralysed, Anthony said goodbye to his education when his school refused to accommodate his need for special facilities.

Later, isolated from the world and intellectually-frustrated, he contended with depression and suicidal impulses.But Anthony soon rallied with a vengeance.

Spurred on by a determination to improve the lives of the disabled, Anthony would go on to become a celebrated disabled rights advocate.

Today, he is president of the Malaysian Animal-assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association and is also founder of the Reaching Out to Educate the Able-bodied and Care for the Handicapped (REACH).

But Anthony's greatest achievement was accomplished only recently, when he was elected as one of 24 new MBPJ councillors, making him the first-ever disabled person to hold such a position.

Q: Tell us about your childhood.

A: I was born in Klang. I'm the second-eldest of four boys, and the rest of my siblings are normal. At a young age, I was diagnosed with Spina Bifida, which meant that my spine was not properly formed and I had a lump on my back.

At the age of 10, I underwent an operation to alleviate the problem, but it was a failure. It resulted in the complete paralysis of the bottom half of my body.

What's worse, doctors blamed my body for the operation's failure and forced me to walk with the aid of calipers, but I couldn't.

There was more heartbreak when I wanted to return to school after Standard Four.

My parents had requested the installation of a handicapped toilet for me, and my principal responded by suggesting that I be sent to a school for children with Down Syndrome instead (which could not accommodate me academically).

The only option was for me to stop going to school.

Q: How did you and your family react to this?

A: Once I knew I was disabled, I began wishing that I could mingle with others like me, but I was never given the opportunity to do so. Also, my parents never really spoke to me about why I was different, so I was slightly in the dark.As a teen, my social activities were limited.

When we moved to PJ, I was virtually house-bound and I didn't have many friends.

But my life improved tremendously when my aunt bought me a wheelchair. Suddenly, I could move around of my own accord, and my whole world changed.

Q: Why didn't you have a wheelchair?

A: The silly doctors wanted me to learn to walk because they didn't want to accept the fact that they had rendered me disabled. Apparently, a pediatric doctor had accidentally severed my nerves.

So, they didn't want me to rely on a wheelchair because they wanted me to walk again.

Q: How did you manage to advance your education?

A: When I was on my own, I was left with the TV. And when I discovered radio, I was listening to Reuters and BBC news at times, five hours a day.

It was a great source of knowledge for me. I was exposed to the outside world.I was then dealt a blow when I developed bed sores that had to be operated on. I was in hospital for over a year, and was at a very low point emotionally.

I felt I only had two options -- live with depression for the rest of my life, or commit suicide. I was then in my early 20s.

But one day, I met a lifeguard who was so intent on teaching me how to swim.My first lesson in the pool was embarrassing. I was in my swimming trunks and other kids in the swimming pool screamed and ran away when they saw me.

But I didn't care because I felt free. I didn't need a wheelchair to swim! The day I finally realised I could swim was one of the best days of my life.

Q: What was the first big step you took towards living a full life?

A: One day, I wondered what it would be like to travel abroad and how life was like for the disabled in other countries.

So I wrote a letter to the US embassy stating that I was disabled and that I wanted to visit their country.

To my great surprise, my request was approved. And that began an adventure that opened my eyes to the possibilities of life. It was 1982.Upon reaching the US, I was surprised to be greeted by a quadriplegic who drove his own car.

Later, I went on a speedboat ride and a river-rafting expedition for the disabled -- things I never thought were possible for me.

Then I attended a conference where a disabled person giving a talk with a laser pointer had a dog seated beside him.At first, I didn't understand why the animal was there.

But when he accidentally dropped his laser pointer, the dog immediately picked it up, jumped on his lap and placed the pointer back in his hands.

The visit changed me profoundly. When I returned home, I wanted to share my new knowledge with others like me.

I began telling people that the disabled here in Malaysia were living in darkness. Then I started writing letters to newspapers on a range of disability-related issues.

Q: What did you buy with your first few pay cheques?

A: I bought a dog from a pet shop . Of all things, I was sold a rottweiler puppy (the shopkeeper had no clue as to its breed).

My friends were horrified, and told me that someday, the dog was going to push me off my wheelchair and have me for lunch.But that was then, and I've become quite a dog person since.

Today, I have a rottweiler, a German shepherd and a golden retriever.They are my best buddies. They taught me to look at life differently. By loving my animals, I learned to love myself.

And they're a big help to me. They help me pick up objects, push my wheelchair, and are generally better to me than some humans, including some doctors!

Q: What were some of the worst instances of discrimination you have faced in your life?

A: I was once insulted by a church pastor for wanting a special toilet. I enjoy window shopping but I was also accused of shoplifting several times when I left without buying anything. They suspected that I must have stolen things. Today, I'm a proud writer and PJ councillor. How much better can it get?

Q: How did it feel to be appointed as a councillor?

A: I never dreamt of becoming a councillor. In the US, there are disabled people in their councils, but not here.I was thrilled when I first got the news. They accepted me with my Standard Four education.

I was wondering they would change their mind if they knew I never completed my primary education, but maybe, because I have a story to tell, I was honoured with an important role.MBPJ sent their special van for the handicapped to pick me up from my home on the morning of the PJ councillors swearing-in ceremony event recently.I had tears of joy in my eyes when I saw the van, and at the board meeting room where the event took place, there was a special table made for me. From the bottom of my heart, I thank MBPJ for their concern.

Q: Where do you hang out?

A: I like going to Mid Valley, because it has wheelchairs and the place is very accessible for the disabled. I don't know of other places. I also enjoy driving around (yes, I can drive!) and sometimes my dogs would go along for the ride.

Q: Have you ever been in a relationship?

A: I've had several relationships, but they didn't work out due to differences.

Councillors begin with an objection

Saturday, 12 July 2008




Councillors begin with an objection
K. Harinderan
(From left) Selayang Municipal Council president Zainal Abidin Azim and his deputy Jamri Basni with the 24 new councillors at the first full board council meeting.

SELAYANG: Many of the new councillors objected to a regulation under the Selayang Municipal Standing Order during a meeting on Thursday.

Councillor Lim Jit Lee says new technology will help waste management.

The regulation that states each committee is to be chaired by the council president was met with objections from the floor .

The members questioned the reasons for the regulation and asked whether there would be a conflict of interest.

This issue was one of the many raised during four-hour full board council meeting at the Selayang Municipal Council.

Held after the swearing-in ceremony at the council headquarters, the panel chaired by council president Zainal Abidin Azim, discussed council procedures, issues faced by residents and functions of the sub-committees.

The 24 councillors were also appointed to eight sub-committees at the meeting:

• Finance
• One-Stop Centre
• Service and Appointment
• Licensing and Development
• Town Services, Traffic and Tourism
• Investment and Privatisation
• Human Development, Sports and Culture
• Tender and Quotation Evaluation

Councillors Datuk A. Rashid Omar, a former Public Works Department director and Tan Hui Chuan, a lawyer, voiced their concerns that the council would only be an endorsement body to decisions made.Zainal Abidin replied that all council proposals by the sub-committees are open to scrutiny.

He went on to explain that the sub-committees would meet at least twice monthly and the full board would sit once monthly.

"This does not mean that decisions by the full board would be final. Councillors can debate the matter and raise objections or submit new proposals," said Zainal Abidin.

Councillor Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahin Abdul Wahab requested that the minutes of sub-committee meetings be given out beforehand so the members have sufficient time to digest the matters before they are tabled at full board meetings.

The other major topics brought up were rubbish disposal, collection of assessment, hygiene of food outlets and the passing of the previous year's board minutes and accounts.

To a question by Tan on the state's grading system for food outlets around Selayang, it was explained that more than 20 outlets have been fined due to non-adherence to council guidelines this year.

Zainal Abidin added that on-going checks based on existing set guidelines would be done on all outlets periodically with the assistance of the State Health Department in light of many complaints and possible health risks.

Upon presentation of the statement of accounts for 2007, Tan sought clarification on why more than a third of the council's expenditure was spent on waste management.Lim Jit Lee added that new technology methods were needed to reduce costs.

The council president explained by saying: "The collection of waste had been privatised. The higher tipping fee charges by disposal sites, wide geographical area covered and rising fuel costs had left them unable to make a profit."

We are looking into better measures to control costs such as a better incinerator and to open new disposal sites which are closer. The present disposal centre is at Bukit Tagar in Selangor," he added.

On the subject of council revenue and expenditure, Zainal Abidin said over 75 per cent of the council revenue is collected from the assessment rates collected twice yearly.

"We have issued 159,427 bills amounting to RM37,553,310 for the first term but collection of the rates always poses a challenge.

In light of this we have called up many commercial property owners to discuss settlements and even offered installment plans. A total of 64,746 notices and 9,383 warrants have been issued to enable the council to collect past dues.

"Councillor Gurdip Kaur @ Rina Pritam Singh, the secretary of the Independent Living and Training Centre in Rawang, brought up the matter of the many illegal stalls operating during school hours in the vicinity of four schools there. She said:

"There have been many complaints of food poisoning from the students and these stalls also pose the threat of hindering traffic flow along the road fronting the schools."

She also called for more handicapped and elderly citizen-friendly pavements and public transportation.

Zainal Abidin, when asked, said the new councillors formed "an enthusiastic panel with experience in many fields who offered many plausible proposal in heeding to the needs of residents here.

Diversity in Selayang

Friday, July 11, 2008





Diversity in Selayang
K. Harinderan
Newly appointed Gurdip Kaur @ Rina Pritam Singh (NGO) being carried into councilors swearing-in session of the Selayang Municipal Council yesterday.

SELAYANG: Councillors of diverse backgrounds were sworn in yesterday to begin representing residents on the municipal council here.

A total of 25 new councillors took their oaths.

They included lawyers, political officials, NGO representatives, businessmen, doctors and housewives.Selayang council president Zainal Abidin Azim said:

"The new councillors were appointed based on their experience and knowledge to better serve the public."

After the hour-long ceremony, the first full board meeting was held.

Zainal Abidin added that since all the councillors were new, a two-day briefing will be held within the next two weeks to familiarise them with the procedures, functions of the committees, and council protocols.

This is part of the Selangor government's move to conduct training for all councillors in Morib at the end of the month.

The council will have committees on finance, one-stop centre, service and appointment, licensing and development, town services, traffic and tourism, investment and privatisation, human development, sports and culture, and tender and quotation evaluation.


The new councillors are:
Zainal Abidin Azim (council president)Datuk Paduka Raja Wan Moahmood Pa'Wan TehAbdul Rahim Abdul Rahin Abdul Wahab, Datuk Mazlan Hassan, A. Rahim Ahmad Kasdi, Nanto Gopalan Krishnan Rajoo, Maznah Abd Aziz, Md. Sabri Md. Taib, Zulkifli Hamzah, Zulnizam Shahrani (all PKR).

Kuan Perk Siong, Murugan @ Murugeshu Arumugam, Hasbullah Mod Ridzwan, Lim Ching How (DAP).

Mohamad Abdul Raham, Samsudin A. Rahman, Khatifah Zamani Sulong, Dr. Ramli Jusoh (Pas).

Gurdip Kaur @ Rina Pritam Singh, Tan Kian Boo, Tan Hui Chuan, Lim Jit Lee (NGO), Associate Professor Husin Mohd Dini (dean), Datuk A. Rahid Omar (pensioner, former JKR director), Chee Chu Sang (advocate and solicitor),

Momentous occasion

Thursday July 10, 2008

Momentous occasion

Much needs to be done before Petaling Jaya becomes a disabled-friendly city.
WHEEL POWER by ANTHONY THANASAYAN

LAST week was incredible! On Tuesday, I, together with 23 other Petaling Jaya councillors, was sworn in to our official posts.

At 8am on that day, the PJ City Council van was at my house. It had a wheelchair-lift to load my wheelchair into the vehicle. After my wheels were firmly secured by safety belts, the 10-minute ride began.

I could not help getting choked up over all that was happening, considering what an honour it was for me to be the first Malaysian in a wheelchair to be elected a city councillor. It was a milestone and a victorious moment for me, one that I could share with every disabled Malaysian in the country.

MBPJ deserves credit for its brand new disabled-friendly van which is available for free to the disabled and the poor in PJ.

Transportation remains a major problem for the physically handicapped. I hope every local council in the country will follow suit by providing at least one vehicle, for a start, for its handicapped residents.

On the way to the MBPJ headquarters, I could see that there was much to be done before PJ becomes a disabled-friendly city. The area surrounding the building, with its hostile and unfriendly pavements and public utilities, the disabled-friendly carparks in the wrong places and the uneven flooring inside the building are just some of the things that need fixing.

At the first meeting, I had requested for help from everyone to transform PJ into a model city for all disabled persons, be they the blind, Deaf, people with learning disabilities, epileptics or stroke victims. What a delight it was to receive a thumping applause from everybody.

And Thursday also saw me planting my first tree in Taman Jaya for MBPJ’s Go Green event. I was thrilled when PJ Mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman invited me to plant a tree for the occasion. I was glad that the mayor had not forgotten me in the exercise that required every councillor to plant their own tree.
Because Taman Jaya is inaccessible to wheelchair-users, one of the councillors volunteered to look after my tree daily during his morning jogs in the public park.

My job is to get the garden – and all others in PJ – to be fully accessible to all, especially persons with disabilities. I have been living next to the park since I was a teenager, yet I had little chance to access it as it was not disabled-friendly.

The image of a person in a wheelchair, pouring water over a newly-planted tree in a local government event, will go a long way towards encouraging more families to come out and participate in society, along with their disabled siblings, children or elderly parents.

Saturday was the mass swearing-in day for all Selangor state councillors at the Jubli Perak Hall in Shah Alam. Whilst Gurdip Kaur (Selayang) and I were delighted to receive our certificates from the Selangor Mentri Besar, we were disappointed to find the building’s toilets inaccessible to our wheelchairs.

We need to rectify this at once.

Bangunan MPS tak mesra OKU

Friday, July 11, 2008

My Metro

Bangunan MPS tak mesra OKU
Oleh Amir Abd Hamidamir@hmetro.com.my

BANTU...penguat kuasa MPS mengangkat Gurdip turun selepas majlis angkat sumpah di bangunan MPS, semalam.

KUALA LUMPUR: “Saya sanggup tidak minum bagi mengelak terkencing kerana di bangunan ini tiada kemudahan tandas untuk golongan Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU),” rungut Gurdip Kaur yang kecewa kerana bangunan Majlis Perbandaran Selayang (MPS) tidak menyediakan kemudahan berkenaan.

Gurdip yang juga Ahli Majlis MPS yang baru melakukan lafaz akuan terima jawatan itu semalam, berkata dia berazam membela golongan senasibnya bermula dari bangunan MPS dengan meminta supaya disediakan kemudahan OKU di situ.

Menurutnya, sebelum membuat cadangan supaya dibina kemudahan perkhidmatan awam bagi golongan OKU di tempat lain, dia sebagai Ahli Majlis akan memastikan bangunan MPS sendiri dilengkapi dengan binaan struktur yang boleh membantu OKU.

“Bukan saja tiada struktur binaan bagi membantu OKU di tandas, malah saya terpaksa bersusah-payah dan meminta tolong penguat kuasa MPS untuk menaiki tangga ke tingkat atas kerana tiada lif disediakan.

“Pelantikan saya sebagai satu-satunya Ahli Majlis MPS dari kalangan OKU dianggap amanah dan kesempatan terbaik yang akan saya gunakan untuk membela rakan senasib,” katanya yang juga Setiausaha Persatuan Badan Latihan dan Hidup Berdikari, Rawang.

Dia yang lumpuh kedua-dua kaki sejak 15 tahun lalu kerana terjatuh dari tangga rumahnya turut menyatakan iltizam membuktikan keupayaan walaupun ada kedengaran suara mempersoalkan kemampuannya memegang jawatan Ahli Majlis itu.

Menurutnya, dia sudah lali dengan prejudis yang dilemparkan, malah menempelak mereka yang tidak mahu membantu menaikkan taraf golongan OKU.

“Takkanlah kami hanya mahu duduk di rumah tanpa membuat apa-apa kerja baru mereka puas hati? Golongan OKU juga mahu hidup seperti orang normal seperti bekerja ada jawatan dan membeli-belah.“

Justeru, tidak salah jika kami meminta disediakan kemudahan yang mesra OKU yang sebenarnya secara tidak langsung meningkatkan kualiti taraf hidup kami sesuai dengan kenyataan mengenai masyarakat penyayang di negara ini,” katanya.

Yang Dipertua MPS, Zainal Abidin Azim, berkata pihaknya sudah menyediakan struktur binaan khusus memudahkan pergerakan OKU di bangunan baru dan akan melakukan perkara yang sama di bangunan lama seperti dimaksudkan Gurdip itu.

Mengenai majlis lafaz akuan angkat sumpah Ahli Majlis serta diikuti dengan mesyuarat penuh semalam, Zainal berharap semua Ahli Majlis berfikiran terbuka dan tidak hanya disempitkan di kawasan tempat tinggal mereka saja.

A proud day for women councillors

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

A proud day for women councillors
Halim Said

SHAH ALAM: The presence of women was conspicuous during the mass swearing-in ceremony for Selangor's 283 local councillors at the Dewan Jubli Perak here recently.

Rabiah said she plans to focus on the welfare of youth.

Gurdip said she was still in a state of disbelief.

Among those present was Gurdip Singh, one of 41 women councillors sworn in and a representative of the disabled at the Selayang Municipal Council.

She said she is proud to have been selected as a councillor. She had not been sure of being chosen. "I am still in a state of disbelief that I have been anmed a councillor from among the NGOs.

"I will use this opportunity to make changes for the betterment of the public, especially the disabled," she said.

Gurdip added that the appointment of more women councillors in municipalities is a great step forward, but that the appointees must be willing to work hard and not be motivated by self-interest.

Fellow-councillor Rabiah Omar, who is also a member of the All Women Action Society, said she was focused on the task ahead and is raring to begin carrying out her new duties.

"I plan to focus on the welfare of youth. I want to help provide more educational and self-enhancement building programmes for them," said Rabiah, a former executive director of the society.

Most of the new councillors were present for the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday; six could not attend because of personal reasons, and two had declined appointment.

Prior to the ceremony, the councillors attended a half-day conference where they were briefed on the duties and challenges of their new roles. The talk was delivered by Datin Arpah Abdul Razak, director-general of local government in the Local Government and Housing Ministry.

The councillors were also given a talk on national township policy by Rural and Urban Planning Department (National Physical Planning Division) director Rohani Md Hashim.

This was followed by the swearing-in ceremony, which saw the councillors making a mass pledge to serve in the state's local councils.

Shah Alam mayor Mazalan Md Noor then led councillors in accepting their appointment letters from Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Afterwards, Khalid said a total of 300 councillors had been appointed, with 288 of them comprising members of the ruling coalition's parties and NGOs, as well as professionals.

The remaining 12 were mayors or council presidents.

He added that unlike appointments by the previous administration, none of the current councillors was a state assemblyman or member of parliament.

However, the MPs and ADUN are allowed to attend council meetings as ex-officio members. As such, they are allowed to voice their views in meetings, but they have no voting rights," the Menteri Besar said.

"I am happy with the appointment and clearly, we see more women councillors and professionals in the line-up."

Khalid added that in two months' time, all the new councillors will be sent for a incentive course at a training centre in Morib.

DISABLED COUNCILLOR IN SELANGOR SWORN IN

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

LAST SATURDAY, TWO DISABLED COUNCILLOR IN SWORN IN SELANGOR

Mr. Anthony and Ms. Rina had attended the swearing-in ceremony in Shah Alam. At below there are some pictures of the day.

Selangor councillors sworn in

Sunday, July 06, 2008

NST - News

Selangor councillors sworn in
SHAH ALAM: Two of the 300 selected as local councillors declined their appointments and withdrew from the mass swearing in of Selangor councillors yesterday.

The two, who were not named, were from the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council and the Shah Alam City Council.Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said they did not think they were qualified to be local councillors.

"Take, for example, the candidate from Ampang. Although there was no proof he has a criminal record, he withdrew to clear his name."

The Ampang candidate in question is at the centre of a controversy after he reportedly refused to provide a statutory declaration attesting that he did not have a record.

The New Straits Times yesterday reported that he had been dropped by the state government, and that allegations against two other Ampang Jaya local councillors, S. Supiramany and S. Sooria Nara-yanan, were unfounded.

After launching the 2008/ 2009 Session Local Councillors Conference, Khalid said under the law, after maybe five years, someone with a conviction could rejoin public service.

"The same principle also applies to members of parliament. If they are fined more than RM5,000, they cannot contest in the election.

There are restrictions for those with a criminal record.

"He said that although the councillors had been sworn in, the vetting process by the police and Bank Negara was ongoing. "

To help administration, we have given out the letters of appointment, but there is a clause stating we have the right to terminate, or disallow them to become councillors, if things are uncovered.

" The state government, he said, was limiting the appointments of the newly sworn-in local councillors to just one year.

In six months, their performance will be assessed and they will be re-appointed if they have performed well.

He added that 80 per cent of them would serve for no more than two years.

"We favour rotations, and we'd like to bring in fresh faces. We do not want it to be a permanent position."

Meanwhile, the two Ampang Jaya local councillors accused of having criminal records denied the allegations.

Sooria, who represents the Ampang Indian Community Charity Bureau, said he may have been "sabotaged" by somebody who wanted his position.

"The police will have records, if the person wants to check. As far as I'm concerned, I have no criminal record. This allegation has spoiled my reputation."Supiramany said he was surprised to learn about the claim from the media."

I have never committed any criminal offence and I am thankful to the state government for placing its trust in me. "From now on, I want to concentrate on looking after my area," said the former vice-president of the Tenaga Nasional Bhd Union, who was also active in the Malaysian Trades Union Council.