Friday June 24, 2011

Group wants disabled in all local councils

PETALING JAYA: Members of the disabled must be appointed in all 12 local councils to ensure better representation and a voice to champion issues affecting them, said Inde­pendent Living and Training Centre President Francis Siva.

He said the centre wanted to see more disabled people in the local councils.

“Now, we just have two representatives – one in Petaling Jaya City Council and the other in Klang Municipal Council – compared to three earlier. Our Kajang councillor was removed with no reason given after the 2008-2009 term.

“In 2008, Pakatan Rakyat’s election manifesto promised better representation for the disabled. But now, we have been shortchanged,” he said.

He added that their representatives in Petaling Jaya and Klang helped to create awareness among town planners on the need to have disabled-friendly facilities.

While urging state exco for local government Ronnie Liu to look into the representation for the disabled, Francis said the group did not want Selangor to think that it was doing them a favour.

“We want Selangor to remember that we have equal rights like the others.

“We are not second-class citizens and we are not interested in dirty politics,” he said.