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Hari Raya open house is a wonderful way to celebrate the country’s cultural diversity.
OPEN house invitations to celebrate Aidilfitri proved to be an excellent opportunity for Malaysians to get to know each other better and rejoice in our cultural diversity.
Many of my friends took advantage of the holidays to go out with their families and friends to the many Hari Raya open houses around town. Others went by themselves.
Some Raya celebrants even offered transport for the disabled to attend their open houses.
At public events, the better prepared organisers made it a point to reserve disabled parking lots for handicapped drivers. They went so far as to meet the disabled at their cars and help them into their wheelchairs.
Effort was also made to ensure that the venues had disabled-friendly facilities in the restrooms as well as ramps into the building.
At the Selangor Mentri Besar’s do which I attended, the organisers provided special tables for disabled and elderly visitors. A waiter was on hand to help serve food to the special guests.
Well done to those who took the trouble to cater to special groups.
On another note, the nation’s 53rd birthday celebrations last month did not go down well with my friend Chong Tuck Meng from Bentong, Pahang.
This year was the first time the 49-year-old did not catch any live telecast of the parade from his home.
Chong has been using a wheelchair since a motor accident in 1982 left him paralysed from the neck down.
He recalled his very first Merdeka parade about 10 years ago in Kuala Lumpur.
He described it as one of his most memorable experiences, even though the crowd blocked his view and gave little consideration for his condition.
“Although our nation is now more than half a century old, there is still much to do in raising public awareness on the needs and rights of people with disabilities,” said Chong who serves as adviser for Perwira K9, an organisation for the physically disabled. “Whilst things are changing for the better for the disabled community in other countries, Malaysia has a lot of catching up to do in this area,” said Chong.
“Even in my hometown Bentong, I hardly see any changes for the disabled.”
Chong went on to say that he feels like a prisoner confined to his house. This is because the nearby shops and buildings are mostly inaccessible to wheelchairs.
“The Government, both at the local and Federal levels, should do everything in its power to correct these injustices so that people like me can lead a normal life.
“Because of the gross inaccessibility, the disabled community in Malaysia is among the most backward groups in society.”
“Remembering the disabled during festivities has its plus points as well as negative side,” cautioned Chong. “Festivities can inadvertently turn us into ‘victims’ of charity events, especially when they are over and we are forgotten for the rest of the year.
“People with disabilities should be remembered as often as possible and not only during special occasions.”
Chong also called for a change in mindset regarding the handicapped.
“TV programmes like the popular comedy drama series, Glee, and the blockbuster movie Avatar, feature characters with disabilities who carry a powerful message.
“When will our local TV shows and movies start portraying disabled characters positively? The only time we see disabled people now is during a tragedy, a disaster or in a tear-jerker.
We need to start viewing disability in a better light so that the rest of society will follow suit,” Chong concluded.
OPEN house invitations to celebrate Aidilfitri proved to be an excellent opportunity for Malaysians to get to know each other better and rejoice in our cultural diversity.
Many of my friends took advantage of the holidays to go out with their families and friends to the many Hari Raya open houses around town. Others went by themselves.
Some Raya celebrants even offered transport for the disabled to attend their open houses.
At public events, the better prepared organisers made it a point to reserve disabled parking lots for handicapped drivers. They went so far as to meet the disabled at their cars and help them into their wheelchairs.
Effort was also made to ensure that the venues had disabled-friendly facilities in the restrooms as well as ramps into the building.
At the Selangor Mentri Besar’s do which I attended, the organisers provided special tables for disabled and elderly visitors. A waiter was on hand to help serve food to the special guests.
Well done to those who took the trouble to cater to special groups.
On another note, the nation’s 53rd birthday celebrations last month did not go down well with my friend Chong Tuck Meng from Bentong, Pahang.
This year was the first time the 49-year-old did not catch any live telecast of the parade from his home.
Chong has been using a wheelchair since a motor accident in 1982 left him paralysed from the neck down.
He recalled his very first Merdeka parade about 10 years ago in Kuala Lumpur.
He described it as one of his most memorable experiences, even though the crowd blocked his view and gave little consideration for his condition.
“Although our nation is now more than half a century old, there is still much to do in raising public awareness on the needs and rights of people with disabilities,” said Chong who serves as adviser for Perwira K9, an organisation for the physically disabled. “Whilst things are changing for the better for the disabled community in other countries, Malaysia has a lot of catching up to do in this area,” said Chong.
“Even in my hometown Bentong, I hardly see any changes for the disabled.”
Chong went on to say that he feels like a prisoner confined to his house. This is because the nearby shops and buildings are mostly inaccessible to wheelchairs.
“The Government, both at the local and Federal levels, should do everything in its power to correct these injustices so that people like me can lead a normal life.
“Because of the gross inaccessibility, the disabled community in Malaysia is among the most backward groups in society.”
“Remembering the disabled during festivities has its plus points as well as negative side,” cautioned Chong. “Festivities can inadvertently turn us into ‘victims’ of charity events, especially when they are over and we are forgotten for the rest of the year.
“People with disabilities should be remembered as often as possible and not only during special occasions.”
Chong also called for a change in mindset regarding the handicapped.
“TV programmes like the popular comedy drama series, Glee, and the blockbuster movie Avatar, feature characters with disabilities who carry a powerful message.
“When will our local TV shows and movies start portraying disabled characters positively? The only time we see disabled people now is during a tragedy, a disaster or in a tear-jerker.
We need to start viewing disability in a better light so that the rest of society will follow suit,” Chong concluded.
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