This Parking Lot Is For The Disabled

April 13, 2009 09:45 AM

"This Parking Lot Is For The Disabled"
By Zulkiple Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 (Bernama) - Recently a daily reported the claim of a wheelchair-bound man about an unpleasant treatment that he encountered during a trip to a commercial bank in Subang Jaya near here.

In the report, the physically-handicapped man claimed that he had to wait for some 45 minutes outside the bank before getting assistance, as there was no facility for a wheelchair-bound person to get into the premises.

"No need to go to the bank lah. Ask your wife lah," said a friend in colloquial English.

Earlier, this writer who is a person with disability (PWD) and previously wheelchair-bound, had related the above experience to the friend.

"What ever happens to the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008?" queried academician Fatimah Mansur.

She said even though the Persons with Disabilities Act came into force in July last year, this legislation has yet to show how effective it is in protecting the rights of disabled people.

Fatimah said: " Where is the justice for disabled people when even the parking spaces for the PWDs are being abused? Is it the case of public apathy against the disabled?"

A check at several public spots confirmed Fatimah's views.

At the North-South Highway's Sungai Buloh rest area, all the three parking bays reserved for vehicles of the PWDs were observed to be frequently full with motorcycles.

The same goes for parking lots reserved for the handicapped at several shopping complexes in the city where they are utilised by vehicles with non-handicapped drivers and occupants.

FIRST CLASS TREATMENT

Still smarting from a similar distasteful experience in 2006, this writer who is wearing a prosthetic leg hesitantly hobbled into a bank in Petaling Jaya recently as he had to settle an outstanding bill.

The electronic queue number board showed '5041' and this writer's heart sank as a glance at the queue number slip in his hand revealed that his turn at the counter was after another 60 clients.

Then a pleasant surprise happened!"Can I help you sir?" A bank officer who appeared out of now where, asked.

The writer was assisted to a counter and his transaction was done within minutes.

The day turned out to a very thrilling and enjoyable for this writer as he experienced 'first-class' treatment at the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) office at Jalan Gasing in Petaling Jaya and Inland Revenue Board (IRB) office in Shah Alam, Selangor.

At the EPF office, this writer was ushered to a counter and the officer there settled his request for certain documents within mere minutes.

At the Shah Alam IRB office, he enjoyed 'green lane' and VIP treatment where he did not have to pick a queue number and an officer even invited him to a counter to entertain his request for a refund.

Now, that is first-class treatment for a PWD.

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ACT

The Persons With Disabilities Act came into force on July 7, 2008. This is the first rights-based legislation for people with disabilities (PWD).

Former Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen was reported to have said that with the enforcement of the Act, people with disabilities would be able to enjoy better public transport facilities, amenities and services.

They will also have equal opportunities to health, education, information, communication and technology, habilitation and re-habilitation, improved employment opportunities as well as sports, leisure and cultural life, she said.

This act provides for the registration, protection, rehabilitation, development, and well being of people with disabilities along with the establishment of National Council for People with Disabilities.

However the then president of the Malaysian Bar Council Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan noted that:

"There is no provision for any penalty for any party who does not live up to the obligations under the Act".

She was reported as saying that although the Act stated that persons with disabilities have the right to enjoy the benefits of public transport, housing, education, employment and healthcare, it did not offer remedies if they face discrimination in these areas.

BERNAMA