Just a quick note to update

Just a quick note to update

A true short story from the personal experience - A Memorable Journey

Wow! What a wonderful experience and services provided by Automobile Association of Malaysia

Last Sunday, we were about 10 people from ILTC went to Kuala Lumpur. Suddently our ILTC Van was breakdown at Ipoh Road at near Taman Wahyu, Batu Caves at 7.00pm and we were fear, panic, worried and stuck in the van.

We immediately managed to reach the AAM, Malaysia’s No: 1 emergency and breakdown assistance service provider and almost within 45 minutes they offered a very Excellence services last Sunday towards disabled person from ILTC.

We were delighted with their assistance on-the-spot of caring and deliver excellent service to a critical situation. We are very happy and most helpful by your AAM's friendly staff.

Thank you,

From,

G. Sivasangararao
President
Independent Living & Training Centre
48000 Rawang
Selangor Darul Ehsan.

As you can see, below some pictures.

TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY FOR DISABLED PASSENGERS AT THE KLIA-LCCT

TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY FOR DISABLED PASSENGERS AT THE KLIA-LCCT

Last week on 19th May 2010, we (advocators - Mr. Anthony Thanasayan, Mr. Anthony Leopold, Ms. Rina and Mr. Francis Siva) had a serious fruitful meeting with Mr. Moses Devanayagam, Director of Operations and Mr. Eddie Tan, Ground Operations at AirAsia Office, Level 1 LCCT, Sepang whereby to discuss for better mobility and comfort for the airline’s disabled passengers. In the meeting we had emphasized the issue of disabled passengers were physically carried by AirAsia’s ground staff to board the aircraft and how dangerous to carrying a disabled person up or down the flight of limited width plane stairs. During discussions Mr. Moses & Mr. Eddie have briefly explained about AirAsia Bhd and many other important related issues towards us. He also shares to us on providers of Ambulift Facility for Disabled Passengers at the low cost carrier terminal (LCCT) and up to four disabled passengers are allowed on a flight, and two of them can be quadriplegics due to safety reasons. According to him, installation of the facility still is in talks with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd to provide free aerobridge use for disabled passengers at airports that do not have ambulifts.

At the same time, the AirAsia management already decided to waive RM12 charge for using the wheelchairs at the airport. I believe these issues have been resolved. However, we noticed that at LCCT Airports need to improve airport facilities and provide level walkways and designated car parks for the disabled.

We also had raised how ongoing training modules to assist disabled passengers training for the cabin crew and staff to give them a better understanding of “disability” issues.

After the meeting was ended we were given a tour of the AirAsia terminal.

Disappointed with Gombak District & Land officer Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad

Disappointed with Gombak District and Land officer Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad.


Below you can see a series of pictures showing of the meeting with Gombak District and Land officer Ahmad Zaharin Mohd Saad at Selayang Land office which was held on Friday, 3.00pm. (21/05/2010)

Shame On You Mr District Officer For Slamming A Quadriplegic!

Courtesy from PET+BLOGSPOT

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Shame On You Mr District Officer For Slamming A Quadriplegic!

aNt's aNgle: So it appears as if the Gombak district land office is fighting back now.

According to StarMetro, the district land officer is finding faults with Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) president Francis Siva over his so-called "aggressive approach" when he dropped by the building last week.

He is quoted by the newspapers as not only "wanted to show his power" but "protesting for his own personal reason."

It is so easy for insensitive non disabled people to quickly label the handicapped as trouble-causers, is it not? Particularly for people who refuse to be mollycoddled and insulted about their disabilities.

What kind of "power" does Francis wield, one wonders? Especially when you consider that he is paralysed from his neck down. He can't put on his clothes by himself and requires able-bodied people to carry him from his wheelchair to his bed and everywhere else.

If you ask me, if anyone deserves an award (such as a Datukship) it is Francis. It is simply amazing how this individual - who was an able-bodied person until an accident changed his life forever - has been helping other more disadvantaged persons than himself.

If Francis was only interested about his personal matter as the now, most dishonorable district officer put it, he would have done only just that. Instead he and his team went and checked out the entire facilities and found it to be a farce.

By that I mean, giving the impression that the disabled's needs have been taken care of when instead what they had done was simply appalling.

I wonder why it took as long as five years (this is when the 'disabled-friendly features' were installed) before they got to realise that women with disabilities had no access to the public toilet.

Did they expect them to wear diapers and somehow 'manage' every time someone came over to the the land office?

Would any able-bodied woman accept that for themselves?

What was also most unprofessional of the land officer was that he chose to disparage Francis even without meeting him first. He also did not bother to find out what had happened from the aggrieved party before the department decided to launch their attack against the ILTC.

Then of course, the most surprising thing. Francis and his team met up with the district officer on Friday. Apparently that meeting was more congenial.

According to Francis, the district officer denied saying anything negative about the ILTC - which was highlighted in Sinar by then. He is said to have expressed his regret over what had happened and said he wanted to do everything he can to make things right.

He even went on to the point of saying that action would be taken against the front-desk staff who mistreated them.

According to Francis, the district officer said that he would be giving up his car park for the handicapped.

Now this all looked very good until the report in The Star the next day.

So one can understand why the disabled community would view the district officer's statement as nothing but empty promises.

DO, shame on you for conducting the press conference against the ILTC. This is not the way forward neither is it the way to respond to issues of people with disabilities.

The Gombak Districk Office should come clean and apologise to Francis and his intrepid team of wheelchairs for launching a press conference against them.

This is the only way forward and the way to work together.

aNt
PET+BLOGSPOT
PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).