Only half helpful

Thursday June 18, 2009




Only half helpful
Wheel Power by ANTHONY THANASAYAN

Ivory towers and red tape must be done away with if we really want to help the disabled.

LAST week, a woman with walking difficulties came to see me for help. She wanted to set up a food stall so that she could support her two young kids. Her abusive husband offered no financial help for the family.

A week earlier, I visited a man who suddenly became blind from a hereditary disorder. Without a job, he had little cash in his hands. His only support was RM90 a month from the Government, plus some extras donated by one or two well-wishers. He lives in a dirty flat with his brother who is also losing his sight.

I was also referred to a deaf-mute young man who yearns for work.

Several others told me they did not know how to approach the welfare departments in their locality, whilst others who did so said they were put off by unfriendly staff or officers who did not give them full information.

Trying to help all these people, I discovered, can be frustrating.

Early this week, I received an e-mail from a friend, Captain A.K.S. Russell from Seremban, who shared with me the experience he and his wife went through when they visited the Social Welfare Department in Kuala Lumpur.

“We went up to the 9th floor of the Grand Seasons Avenue in Jalan Pahang – a place where we had to go to try to find out what was needed to apply for a grant for a voluntary welfare organisation,” explained Russell, 61. “We did this after receiving two letters pertaining to a KL-based society where we serve as volunteers.”

Russell said although the Welfare Depart­ment is a large office that is accessible to wheelchair users, it is difficult to get there using public transport.

Russell noted that many of the handicapped who were present – together with the elderly and the poor – had no choice but to resort to taxis to get there.

When the couple arrived, they had to go through an initial screening before being given a number and told to wait.

Although the waiting room was large and clean, with plenty of seats, it was insufficient to accommodate the large number of people who were present.

“Whilst waiting, I overheard some of the people being told by the staff: ‘You need to go to such-and-such a place before we can attend to you ...’ or ‘you will need to come back again another time’.

“Such treatment only puts these people through further hardship instead of helping them,” said Russel.

Many of them, however, patiently suffered in silence.

“What the Welfare Department should do is streamline efforts by going out of their offices and meeting the handicapped in their homes, at local community centres, and elsewhere, to ensure that their services are expediently carried out.

“Websites should tell visitors everything. This includes all the necessary forms, criteria and information needed for the various people in the target group that the Welfare Department is trying to help instead of only providing telephone numbers and addresses of the respective departments,” said Russell.

“This information should include a map on how to get to the building proper and the various departments, not forgeting details of access inside the builing for wheelchair users and the blind,” added Russell