Peniaga OKU ditindas

KOTA - 25/02/2011

Peniaga OKU ditindas

Oleh WAN RAHIMAH WAN DRAMAN

kota@utusan.com.my

Cha Seah Nee (duduk, dua dari kiri) bersama rakan-rakannya menunjukkan salinan laporan polis mengenai kekasaran yang dilakukan oleh kakitangan MBPJ di Petaling Jaya, semalam.

PETALING JAYA 24 Feb. - Usaha golongan orang kurang upaya (OKU) untuk hidup berdikari dan mencari pendapatan sendiri ternyata tidak semudah yang dijangka.

Malah, mereka turut menjadi mangsa penindasan pihak-pihak tertentu walaupun perkara berkenaan tidak sepatutnya berlaku.

Itulah yang berlaku kepada seorang peniaga OKU apabila tapak gerai yang telah diperuntukkan kepadanya sebelum ini cuba ditukar oleh Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ).

Lebih menyedihkan, pihak berkuasa tempatan itu didakwa turut mengugut dan mengasarinya dalam usaha memaksa peniaga itu dan beberapa peniaga kecil lain berpindah dari gerai yang diperuntukkan kepada mereka sebelum ini.

Insiden di pasar Taman Megah di sini itu didakwa berlaku sejak beberapa minggu lalu.

Peniaga OKU, Cha Seah Nee, 39, berkata, dia tidak menyangka kakitangan MBPJ sanggup bertindak begitu kasar terhadap OKU sepertinya.

"Saya bukan peniaga haram. Saya ada lesen dan telah diberikan tapak gerai untuk saya, sesuai dengan keupayaan saya sebagai OKU," katanya yang berkerusi roda kerana lumpuh kedua-dua belah kaki.

Seah Nee ditemui pemberita selepas bersama empat peniaga lain membuat laporan di Balai Polis Sea Park hari ini berhubung tindakan kasar serta ugutan oleh pihak MBPJ itu.

Mereka membuat laporan dengan bantuan Badan Latihan dan Hidup Berdikari (ILTC).

Kekecewaan sama turut dialami oleh Daisy Rani, 48, yang menjual bunga di kawasan itu.

Menurutnya, dia telah diberi lesen untuk berniaga di salah satu tapak bahagian hadapan di pasar berkenaan sejak beberapa bulan lalu.

"Tapi beberapa minggu lalu, pihak MBPJ tiba-tiba meminta dan mendesak kami mengosongkan tapak berkenaan dan berpindah ke bahagian belakang yang lebih jauh," katanya kesal.

Tindakan itu bukan sahaja menyukarkan kami tetapi juga akan merugikan.

"Kami tidak setuju kerana ia jauh dan menyukarkan kami untuk memunggah barang jualan," katanya.

Sementara itu, Presiden ILTC, G. Francis Siva ketika ditemui berkata, MBPJ bukan sahaja telah mendiskriminasikan golongan OKU malah menyekat peluang mereka untuk hidup berdikari.

Katanya, baru-baru ini, satu memorandum telah diserahkan kepada Ahli Majlis MBPJ, T. Anthony Siva Balan bagi membawa perkara itu kepada Datuk Bandar Petaling Jaya.

Siva Balan yang menyifatkan tindakan itu sebagai kejam meminta Datuk Bandar menyiasat perkara itu bagi mencari punca tindakan tersebut diambil oleh MBPJ.

Traders in dispute over stall allocation

Traders in dispute over stall allocation

2011/02/24
By Sheila Sri Priya and Siti Aminah Abdullah
streets@nstp.com.my

Cha Seak Nee said vegetable sellers had been harassing her and trying to get her to move to a more remote location.

NGO representatives protesting in support of Cha Seak Nee (in pink). — Pictures by Syed Putra Syed Abdul Rahman

V. Sundrum says the stalls were assigned by drawing lots last year

T. Anthony says the dispute will be looked into seriously because of the harassment

PETALING JAYA: A group of stallholders, including a disabled individual, held a peaceful protest at the Taman Megah market in SS24, here, recently.

They were protesting because of a dispute with other stallholders over the allocation of stalls.

Last year, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) had assigned the stalls by drawing lots in the presence of the traders.

In the middle of last year, 59 traders who had been operating their stalls illegally were moved to the new Taman Megah market. MBPJ issued business licences to them.

There were claims that a disabled trader and a few able-bodied traders were given better stall sites than the vegetable sellers who were assigned stalls deep inside the market.

NGO representatives protesting in support of Cha Seak Nee (in pink). — Pictures by Syed Putra Syed Abdul Rahman

Wheelchair-bound Cha Seak Nee was assigned a stall that was built specifically for the disabled. The 39-year-old who sells frozen foods such as otak-otak claimed that she had been harassed by some vegetable sellers. She said they told her to move to another stall located deep inside the building.

Flower seller Daisy Rani, 45, claimed that she had been given a different stall number in her new business licence.

"My business licence which was issued last year by the council had the stall number 005 which I drew.

"However, recently, two MBPJ enforcement officers gave me a new licence with the number 015. I was told to move to my new lot.

V. Sundrum says the stalls were assigned by drawing lots last year

"The vegetable sellers are constantly tell us to move to our new lots because they want to occupy our space," she said.

Daisy has lodged a police report on the matter because she felt her rights had been violated by the council.

Wet spice seller V. Sundrum, 40, said the vegetable sellers had also told him to move to a another stall. He said this was not fair as the stalls were assigned by drawing lots last year.

Representatives of NGOs such as The Malaysian Animal Assisted Therapy For The Elderly and The Disabled, Independent Living and Training Centre and Malaysians Against The Discrimination of The Disabled were at the protest to show their support for Cha.

T. Anthony says the dispute will be looked into seriously because of the harassment

A memorandum was submitted to councillor T. Anthony. He said the matter would be looked into seriously as several stallholders, and in particular a disabled person had been harassed.

Anthony said the memorandum would be handed over to Mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.

Taman Megah residents association chairman Francis Lee said Cha's stall was designed for the disabled as a ramp had been constructed in front of her lot.

Lee also highlighted the fact that Cha was only making a small profit and added that her business would be affected if she were to move to a more remote location.

Area councillor Tiew Way Keng said she had received reports from consumers and stall holders that the location of the vegetable stalls were unsuitable.

"I received complaints that the walkway was narrow. People have slipped and taken a tumble while trying to buy vegetables and fruits."

Tiew said she had asked the public and stallholders to submit suggestions and had given them three options -- retain the current stall allotments, move the fruit stalls to the front and move the vegetable stalls outside.

She said most stallholders chose the third option.

Tiew said Cha had also agreed to move to another lot.

"I spoke to Cha and she agreed to move. The council did not bully her. But now I hear a different story," she said.

Tiew said the council would handle the matter in a diplomatic manner. Also present during the protest was Damansara Utama assemblyman Dr Cheah Wing Yin.

Friday February 25, 2011

Butchers and councillors want to dislodge paraplegic trader

BUTCHERS and fishmongers at the Taman Megah Market, in cahoots with some heartless councillors, are hounding paraplegic trader Seak Nee, 39 and four others to give up their trading spots and move to the back.

Seak Nee, whose stall is just next to the specially designed ramp for the disabled, along with four other traders suffering from poor health who also occupy the front row, are facing undue pressure to give up their trading spots.

The big time traders with the insidious support of some councillors are said to be exerting pressure on these unfortunate traders so they can have the premium lots.

Giving support: Seak Nee (in pink track suit pants), Francis on her left and other well wishers stop to chat with Khoo (right) near the Taman Megah market after a press conference to highlight Seak Nee’s plight

The traders managed to get the licensing department to change four of the traders’ lot numbers when their licences came up for renewal.

But Seak Lee, paralysed from waist downwards since birth, is fighting back despite being attacked on all fronts, even from people close to her, with telephone calls and nasty remarks.

“I make something like RM700 to RM800 monthly selling frozen foodstuffs and from that I have to pay RM330 for my room rent and this trading sport is all I have,” said Seak, who wheels herself some 15 minutes daily back and forth to the market.

Although her parents are staying in Old Klang Road, she wants to be independent and spent the last six years selling frozen food stuffs in front of the market in a makeshit kiosk until the local residents association chairman Francis Lee and other well-wishers moved the council to get her a proper tradering lot.

After nearly a year she is facing pressure from other traders.

“Many times the traders there have approached me to move to the back portion of the market and offered to foot the renovation and other enhancement to the kiosk,” Seak Nee told StarMetro recently.

One of the prime movers of the protest is Francis Siva, the president of Independent Living and Training Centre (ICTC), a non-governmental organisation, which trains the disabled to be self-sufficient.

“We want the council to step in and tell off the traders who are trying to dislodge them.”

Blaming councillor Tiew Way Keng, the DAP representative for Seak Nee’s plight for pandering to the demands of the well-to-do traders and forsaking Seak Nee’s needs, Francis said the councillor should be in the forefront of her plight.

“She knows about Seak Nee’s plight and she did nothing to protect her interest,” he said, adding that MBPJ was kind enough to specially construct the kiosks, ramp and other handicap-friendly amenities.

Chairman of the MBPJ Technical Committee on Disabilities T. Anthony, who is also an MBPJ councillor said it is a blatant act of discrimination.

He said he has forwarded Seak Nee’s letter to deputy mayor Puasa Md Taib and have asked MBPJ to conduct a full investigation into her claim of harassment by the relevant councillor and traders.

Former councillor and one time Kampung Tunku State assemblyman Khoo Ooi Seng who stopped by to see the commotion was visibly upset after listening to Seak Nee’s plight.

“I agree there are some shortcomings in the BN but we never stole from the handicap,” said the MCA member.

Friday February 25, 2011

Councillor denies traders’ claims

COUNCILLOR Tiew Way Keng, facing mounting pressure from the public for having a hand in a move to dislodge a disabled trader from a prominent spot at the Taman Megah market came out in the open to defend herself.

“Earlier she agreed to move but now she has changed her mind,” Tiew said, adding the traders and consumers had requested that she be moved to the centre.

Asked why in the first place she was given the spot at the disabled row, Tiew said it was done before her time.

She told StarMetro in a telephone interview after a press conference to clarify her position that the ramp for the disabled was not built solely for Seak Nee but for wheelchair-bound consumers.

Long-time Taman Megah resident G. Thong said as far as he knew there was no representation made by the residents or consumers in that area.

“I have been living here and I doubt any decent minded consumer or resident would have the heart to make life difficult for the handicap,” he said.

Besides, the kiosks were specially constructed for the disabled and why can’t they be there. Is it because other big time traders are holding the councillor to ransom by threatening to withhold their support for her,” he asked.

In a related development, the affected five traders and two non-governmental organisations made police reports at the SS2 police station against Tiew for abuse of power.

The president of Independent Living & Training Centre, Francis Siva, called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Select Committee on Competence, Accountability and Transparency to investigate Tiew and Member of Parliament Tony Pua for their alleged hand in the victimising the disabled traders.

No easy access for the disabled

No easy access for the disabled

February 24, 2011

Many disabled people in the country find it hard to move around because most public places are not disabled-friendly.

KUALA LUMPUR: Ramlan (not his full name) who is physically challenged lamented that he often cannot get into banks or restaurants as they do not provide the basic amenities for disabled people.

“Whenever I need to perform transactions at the bank counters or decide to dine with my family in restaurants, I would be faced with difficulties as these establishments do not have facilities like wheel ramps, lifts or proper handrails for the disabled people,” said Ramlan.

He also said he had difficulties in withdrawing cash from the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

“Most of the ATMs are located in buildings and petrol stations. It is difficult to get into these buildings as they are not disabled-friendly”, said Ramlan who is a polio victim and wheelchair-bound.

This is the case for many disabled people in the country. Many banks and restaurants are not disabled-friendly.

Reluctant to go for holidays

K Muthu, whose right leg was amputated because of a road crash, said he is reluctant to go for a vacation at tourist destinations in the country as most hotels do not have facilities for the physically challenged.

“A few may have facilities like alleys for those on wheelchair but what about the shower room.

“I find it difficult to use the toilet (in hotels), hence I refrain from going for vacations and prefer to stay home”, he said.

Muthu said despite the presence of the Persons With Disabilities Act, many banks and restaurants as well as hotels do not provide the basic amenities like ramps, ramps with entrance, proper signage and lifts as well as toilets for the disabled.

“Some of the hotels at renowned tourist destinations in the country even do not have elevators. So how can people like me go for holidays,” he said.

Persons with Disablities Act

The Persons With Disabilities Act (PWD Act) was passed in Parliament on Dec 24 in 2007 and was gazetted on Jan 24, 2008. The Act came into force on July 7, 2008.

According to lawyers, many disabled people have been complaining that the PWD Act 2008 is purely an administrative Act and toothless as there are no punitive measures for non-compliance or acts of discrimination.

A restaurant owner in Rawang, Ismail Kassim said: “I am not aware of the law on that and anyhow my restaurant is located in an old building so it is impossible to make the necessary renovations for it to be friendly for the disabled.

He said many of the buildings that have restaurants and banks as well as hotels were built more than 10 years ago when the PWD Act had yet to be gazetted and came into force.

Another restaurant owner, in Kota Damansara, who wished to be known as Vijay, said his restaurant has a ground floor seating arrangements for the disabled and when any handicapped person visits the restaurant, his workers would render assistance to the person.
“However, we only occasionally receive disabled customers but when they come we will provide assistance. We try to help them as much as we can,” he said, adding that the absence of facilities for the handicapped may have deterred them from visiting his restaurant.

There are no clear regulations which spelled out that buildings should have facilities for the handicapped and it is for this reason that many public and private buildings do not have amenities for the physically challenged.

-Bernama

Hawkers report ‘threat’ by PJ councillor

Hawkers report ‘threat’ by PJ councillor

Tashny Sukumaran | February 24, 2011

A disabled trader and four others refuse to move to a congested part of the Taman Megah market

KUALA LUMPUR: Five hawkers from the Taman Megah market today filed a police report against MBPJ councillor Tiew Way Keng, accusing him of harassment and intimidation.

The five included wheelchair user Sek Nee, who last Tuesday sought the Petaling Jaya mayor’s help against what she said was pressure by other hawkers for her to move her stall to an area less friendly to the disabled.

The report alleges that Tiew yesterday threatened the five with the loss of their licences if they refused to move their businesses to stalls in the back part of the market.

This morning, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua visited the market with Tiew and Pastor Siew Chin of the Beautiful Gate foundation, where Sek Nee used to reside. They agreed that the market should be redesigned to accommodate the wishes of all the occupants.

Anthony Thanasayan, who is also a MBPJ councillor as well as chairman of an association that helps the disabled and elderly, accused Pua of trying to bully Sek Nee into moving from her disabled-friendly stall to a more congested area of the market.

“This is hypocrisy at its finest,” he said of Pua’s decision to take the pastor with him to the market.

“They don’t care about the disabled; they are just politicising the situation and pitting us against each other.”

Pua said the situation was being blown out of proportion.

“According to a survey done last year,” he said, “people found that the lanes at the back were too congested for the stalls there, which sell fruits and vegetables. Obviously these stalls attract more traffic as people take time choosing these items, which is why the egg and flower stalls at the front are being moved to the back.”

Pua also said that the back rows would be converted to be disabled-friendly, and that a new ramp would be constructed to make it convenient for Sek Nee and other disabled people. Sek Nee would not be asked to move until the conversion was done, he added.

“Her business will not suffer as it’s still a peak lane. So I don’t think she loses out at all should a move be executed. To me it looks like a prime spot.”

MBPJ is calling for a dialog on Friday next week.

Councillor: No discrimination against disabled trader

Councillor: No discrimination against disabled trader

Submitted by shaza on Thursday, February 24th, 2011

Thursday, February 24th, 2011 14:41:00

UNITED: Disabled hawkers showing their dissatisfaction over their treatment at the Taman Megah market yesterday — Pic: Arif Kartono

PETALING JAYA: The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) is reviewing the layout of the Taman Megah SS24
market following disputes over allocation of trading lots and the market set-up.

Councillor Tiew Way Kheng said she received complaints from market traders, mostly concerning narrow pathways and limited space at stalls for traders to operate.

The council meeting next week will decide on the new market layout and operations.

She said she conducted checks on the market over the last few months to discover some 40 per cent of consumers opted to go to other markets due to discomfort at Taman Megah market.

"Traders worry for loss of customers. We are thinking how to achieve the best for all parties and hope to reach an amicable solution," she told a Press conference at the market this morning.

Tiew previously come under fire by a stall operator, wheelchairbound Shirley Cha Shek Nee, who accused Tiew of discrimination following the trader's failure to renew her operating licence.

Cha, 29, a frozen foods seller, was allocated a stall in front of the market, which was near a wheelchair ramp and complained of being harassed by fellow traders, whom she claimed wanted to secure her spot due to its prime location.

Cha claimed other traders insulted her and even switched off her refrigerator when she was not around. This could ruin her food and business.

It is understood the fate of the trading licences of stall operators will be known once the meeting of councillors concludes next week

Peniaga OKU teraniaya

23/02/2011

Peniaga OKU teraniaya

SS 24 – Seorang peniaga orang kurang upaya (OKU) di Pasar Besar Taman Megah SS 24 dekat sini tidak berpuas hati apabila gerainya dipindahkan ke tapak lain atas alasan yang tidak kukuh.

Peniaga terbabit, Cha Seah Nee, 39, berkata, tindakan ahli majlis mengubah tempatnya berniaga adalah tidak wajar.

“Seperti yang dipersetujui sejak awal lagi, tempat saya berniaga adalah di bahagian hadapan pasar ini bagi memudahkan saya keluar dan masuk berikutan kemudahan yang telah disediakan di sini,” katanya.

Menurutnya, keadaan itu mendatangkan kesukaran kepadanya untuk berniaga kerana terpaksa memunggah barangan jualan agak jauh.

“Saya OKU, sepatutnya bahagian hadapan premis ini perlu dikhaskan kepada golongan seperti saya tetapi sejak dipindahkan ke bahagian belakang sejak seminggu yang lalu perniagaan saya agak merosot,” katanya ketika ditemui semalam pada sidang media di Pasar Taman Megah. Hadir sama, Persatuan Badan Latihan dan Hidup Berdikari, Francis Siva dan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Damansara, Dr Cheah Win Ying.

Selain Seah Nee, lima peniaga lain juga turut diarahkan untuk berpindah.

Peniaga bunga, Daisy Rani, 45, berkata, pada mesyuarat 20 Oktober 2010 lalu, dia dan peniaga lain tidak bersetuju untuk dipindahkan.

“Kami sudah menyatakan yang kami tidak bersetuju namun 28 Januari lalu lesen yang dikeluarkan kepada kami telah secara rasmi ditukarkan kepada nombor tapak niaga yang lain,” katanya.

Menurutnya, dia yang menghidap penyakit asma berharap perkara tersebut diberi perhatian sewajarnya oleh Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ).

Sementara itu, Ahli Majlis MBPJ Zon 13, Anthony Siva Balan berkata, beliau akan menghantar memorandum bantahan kepada Datuk Bandar Petaling Jaya berhubung perkara berkenaan.

“Perkara ini juga saya akan bawa ke mesyuarat penuh MBPJ akan datang kerana tindakan sedemikian seolah-olah mendiskriminasikan golongan OKU dan ia sangat melampau,” katanya.

Dalam pada itu, Ahli Majlis MBPJ Zon 6, Tiew Way Keng ketika dihubungi enggan mengulas lanjut berkenaan isu terbabit.

Sebaliknya beliau memberitahu akan mengadakan sidang media di Pasar Taman Megah pada hari ini.

”Saya tidak boleh jelaskannya di sini (telefon) kerana agak panjang, saya akan kemukakan bukti pada sidang media keesokan harinya,” katanya kepada Sinar Harian.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Serious Issue Of Disabled Discrimination In Taman Megah Market

Disabled trader claims harassment

Tashny Sukumaran | February 22, 2011

Wheelchair-bound vendor at Taman Megah Market seeks mayor’s intercession

PETALING JAYA: A wheelchair-bound seller of frozen foods is seeking the mayor’s help to keep her space at the Taman Megah Market.

Sher Nee claims she is being harassed by other vendors to move towards the back of the market.
Her stall is designed for people with disabilities; it is close to a ramp and has extra space in front of it to accommodate her wheelchair. The fruit and vegetable vendors in the rear areas of the market have been complaining about congestion.

MBPJ councillor Anthony Thanasayan, Taman Megah Resident’s Association (Temara) chairman Francis Lee and the president of Independent Living and Training Centre, Francis Siva, highlighted her plight at a press conference today.

According to Lee, Temara approached MBPJ councillor Tiew Way Keng for help in seeking a solution but he has not been cooperative. Nee said Tiew even scolded her.

She submitted a memorandum to Thanasayan today to seek the mayor’s intercession.

Thanasayan said he would investigate the matter. “This is a serious issue as it touches upon the discrimination of the disabled,” he said.

Nee said she would not be able to continue doing business if she were to move to the back because the stalls there were not disabled-friendly.

The front stalls are occupied by vendors who are elderly, disabled or in poor health.

PJ Utara MP Tony Pua told FMT the issue had less to do with discrimination of the disabled and more with the market being badly designed for traffic flow.

He said there would be another press conference on the issue this Thursday and that Temara, MBPJ and the Hawkers’ Association would be represented. Tiew would also be there, he added.

Disabled Forced To Apologise To MBPJ Councillor

22/2/2011

Disabled Forced To Apologise To MBPJ Councillor

Malaysiakini news by Leven Woon.

A lot swap conflict involving the relocation of five underprivileged vendors away from their designated lots at Taman Megah Market has triggered outcries from several NGOs, who turned up at the market today to protest the relocation.

Organised by Independent Learning and Training Centre, the event saw Damansara Utama assemblyman Cheah Wing Soon, MBPJ’s disabled councillor Anthony Thanasayan, and Taman Megah resident association chairman Francis Lee gather around 12pm and carry placards chiding discrimination against the disabled.

The five vendors, who are either wheelchairs bound or suffering from diseases, were allegedly pressured by local councillor Tiew Way Keng to vacant their current lots at the front row (lot B1-B5) of the market and shift to lots situated at middle row (lot B11-B15).

The move, as Tiew told them, if for the convenience of vegetable vendors at the middle row who complained of inadequate trading space.

However, Lee said the lots allocation has been balloted prior to the opening of the market.

“It was agreed upon that the first row which faces the main road and near to a ramp should be given to less capable vendors to sell dry goods,” he said.

The conflict reared ever since the first week of the market operation in September last year after vegetable vendors began demanding for a lot swap with the first row’s owners.

Disabled forced to apologise to Tiew
Tiew, who was informed about the matter latter, allegedly only reacted on the vegetable vendors’ demand.

The conflicts escalated when the front row’s owners were denied license renewal by MBPJ’s officers last month. They also claimed to have been harassed by both MBPJ enforcement officers and the vegetable vendors since last month.

Cho Seak Nee, a wheelchair bound vendor who sells frozen foods, claimed she was told by the vegetable vendors last week to apologise to Tiew.

“They asked me to say sorry to Tiew because without her, I will not be what I am today,” said the disabled who used to travel around Puchong and Old Klang road areas to earn a living.

Thanasayan decried the incident as an attempt to sideline the disabled.

“Are they trying to push us to the (middle row) so that nobody can see us? This is not the society we want,” he said.

He said the disabled’s lots at the front row is totally legitimate and there is no reason for a swap.

The Petpositive chairman said he will “battle till the very end” to ensure MBPJ does not shift the front row vendors.

不滿獲市會優待‧同行嗆殘障小販

不滿獲市會優待‧同行嗆殘障小販

2011-02-22 20:44

• 

  隆雪無障礙協會成員與小販於美嘉園展開和平糾察，極力為障友爭取應有的權利。前排左起為自立及訓練中心主席法蘭斯西華、安東尼、謝雪妮以及行動黨百樂鎮州議員謝永賢。（圖：光明日報）

（吉隆坡22日訊）5檔小販在未獲通知的情況下，被市議會命令更換檔口的位置，其中一名冷凍食品的殘障女小販申訴，她基於行動不便，便要求當局讓她保留在原檔經營，結果卻引起其他小販不滿，並對她說：“若沒有我們，你也不會在這裡！”，令她唉嘆賺錢養活自己也這麼難。

美嘉園巴剎中心於2010年9月20日建竣，一共有60檔小販經營，但不到一個星期，八打靈再也市議會的官員便接獲許多顧客的投訴，指菜販的位置太窄，不方便越過，於是當局指示第一排的檔主搬到後面去，以讓出前排位置給菜販。

其中一名被逼遷出第一排檔口的小販謝雪妮（39歲）是一名先天性殘障人士，必須依靠輪椅才能行動。她說，她是於今年1月28日接獲八打靈再也市議會官員告知，要她在新年後搬到巴剎中心最後第三排的位置。

恐收入受影響

她說，被安排在後排營業，恐會加劇她行動上的不便，因此她向市議會表明希望能獲得“優待”，繼續在前排做生意，但此舉卻引來菜販的不滿。

“我做小販生意已7年，只是想靠自己的能力維持生活，現在的情況令我感到很不開心。”

謝雪妮指出，她做生意賺取的收入除了應付日常生活開銷外，每個月會給父母一些生活費，目前她的收入她勉強還可以支撐生活。

另外，雞蛋小販曾憲鉅說，市議會官員向他披露，有關決定是因為當局接獲許多民眾的投訴，指售賣蔬菜和水果的小販位置太窄。因此，在經過調查和各方面的意見後，決定將第一排的小販移到第三排，就是與蔬菜小販對換位置。

障友權益不受尊重

針對殘障小販謝雪妮面對苦況，八打靈再也市議員安東尼週二召開記者會說，最近幾年政府都在推廣讓殘障人士自力更生，並協助障友成為社會的一份子，如今殘障人士的權益不受尊重，他認為這是一項很嚴重的問題。

也是隆雪無障礙協會主席的他指出，若將謝雪妮的檔口移去後排，將為她帶來許多不便，因為後排的攤位並沒有殘障人設備。

他認為，有關單位應該配合，而不是加劇殘障人士的困難。

“我將在這幾天內會見吉隆坡市長，並呈上關備忘錄，要求有關部門展開調查，這項安排到底是受誰的指示。同時，我也將會為殘障朋友的權利爭取到底。”

市議員：小販可作證
“殘障小販同意換檔位”

八打靈再也市議員張菲倩指出，殘障小販謝雪妮早前已經同意與菜販對換攤位，而許多小販也願意無條件協助和配合，因此她不明白為何會出現這項莫須有的指責。

她週二接受本報電訪時說，在巴剎剛啟用時，她接獲許多顧客投訴位置排在中間的蔬菜和水果小販非常擁擠，令人寸步難行，更曾經有人因此而跌倒，所以，小販認為檔口有必要調整。

“當時我曾經發出一份調查表格，讓小販和當地消費者決定要保持原狀、還是要水果小販或蔬菜小販搬離，結果最後都一面倒要蔬菜小販調位。”

張菲倩也說，當時她有向謝雪妮解釋事情的來龍去脈，而對方也非常善解人意，同意搬遷。“還有一名菜販自願無條件為謝雪妮重新安裝小販殘障設備，大家都願意配合。”

對指責感莫名其妙

“後來我接獲市議員安東尼的電話，對方一開口便指責我沒關照殘障人士，讓我覺得莫名其妙，而他也一直不願將電話交給雪妮聽。”

她指出，謝雪妮一直沒有針對此事聯絡她。“菜販知道謝雪妮不願搬後，都覺得很失望，才會一時說出重話。”

此外，張菲倩也提出質疑，為何安東尼要在中午才舉行記者會，而不是在巴剎顧客最多的時候召開記者會？”

光明日報‧2011.02.22