'Friendly' protest march by blind
MAKING A POINT: (From left) Gunabalan, Ajong Sidim and Gobal Rajee standing on a section of the tactile walkway
BRICKFIELDS: A peculiar sight greeted Brickfields residents yesterday when representatives of the blind community, who were protesting against the festive traders who had set up stalls on the tactile walkways they use, ended up side-byside with the ones they were supposed to be protesting against.
Ajong Sidim, 55, a blind legal executive, and G. Gunabalan, 56, a partially-blind businessman, were joined in the "protest march" by Brickfields Indian Petty Traders Association Kuala Lumpur chairman Gobal Rajee and several association members. Also present was Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun.
Starting from the corner of Jalan Tun Sambanthan 4, Ajong and Gunabalan walked to Little India and back.
Although they sometimes had to walk on the road and were rarely able to use the tactile walkway, they managed to make it with the help of Gobal and the association members.
During the walk, stall owners elsewhere were also seen helping blind pedestrians along.
Although there was moderate police presence in the area, the march ended on a quiet note, with the participants returning to their own business after that.
The Malay Mail had previously highlighted the plight of the blind in Brickfields, which led to the Federal Territory Ministry instructing traders to move off the tactile walkway to clear a path for the blind.
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