Good week
Persons with disabilities turned up in droves to commemorate a special day.
LAST week was fabulous. I was privileged to be at two events commemorating International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) which this year fell on Dec 3.
Last Saturday, nearly 3,000 people, scores of them in wheelchairs or carrying white canes, turned up at a carnival organised by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in Kuala Lumpur where Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil delivered an impassioned speech on disability.
Visitors enjoyed exciting games and learnt about the latest services available to the disabled and the good work done by various NGOs.
Two days earlier, more than 200 people gathered at The Curve shopping complex in Petaling Jaya for an event sponsored by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).
It was graced by Selangor State Welfare, Women Affairs, Science, Technology and Innovation committee chairman Rodziah Ismail, who spoke passionately on the needs of the disabled.
Among the key points raised are:
> The disabled need jobs: Rodziah said it was time that all sectors go all out to employ the handicapped. To do this, there must be a commitment from all parties.
Rodziah pointed out that local councils like the MBPJ had started filling up its 1% quota for employing the disabled.
On her part, Shahrizat said that disabled persons should be seen as people with abilities and talents who can contribute to society.
> Time for local councils to get serious: Shahrizat questioned the lackadaisical attitude of the local councils for not implementing disabled-friendly access at their level, even though by-laws have been gazetted since the early 1990s.
Although it won’t be an easy task, the minister promised to check on local councils and make sure that they create disabled-friendly towns and cities so that the handicapped can go to work and study in schools, among other things.
Rodziah said that for a start, she would get local councils in Selangor to set up a special team to ensure that accessibility of the disabled tops the agenda of local authorities.
> Disability is everyone’s concern: Shahrizat reminded decision-makers on the importance of including disabled people in their committees, especially in matters involving them.
Rodziah reminded the able-bodied that it was prudent to plan for the disabled and elderly as many of us might suffer some disability one day through accident, disease or old age.
One of the highlights at both events was the presenting of special awards to those with learning disabilities.
The MBPJ event, with help from the Dyslexia Association of Malaysia, honoured children in Petaling Jaya who successfully completed their Year Six exams.
They also gave special recognition to young adults with learning difficulties who held down jobs as laundry workers.
As wonderful as both celebrations were, there is still room for improvement for future events.
Here is some of the feedback I received:
> Let’s have some disabled speakers instead of only the able-bodied giving speeches as the day is for the disabled.
> Please cut down on presentations by able-bodied performers no matter how popular they may be, and give undiscovered disabled artistes a chance to showcase their talents. (And please pay them for their services instead of expecting them to do it for free.)
> Kindly provide front seats to the disabled and let the VIPs sit behind the disabled instead for IDPD.
Can we also do away with VIP-eating areas and allow the VIPs to mingle with the disabled?
