Ronnie Liu Takes A Bold Step For The Disabled

Story & Pictures are courtesy of Petpositive

Ronnie Liu Takes A Bold Step For The Disabled

SOMETHING truly wonderful transpired for people with disabilities in the state of Selangor last week.

The epoch-making occasion to raise the quality of lives of Malaysians with disabilities was held at the Selangor state secretariat building last Friday.

When it was over, all of us in wheelchairs and other types of disabilities couldn’t stop ourselves beaming from ear to ear just thinking about the ramifications of the event and how for the first time for as long as we can remember, the needs of Malaysians with disabilities will finally be looked into in bringing about meaningful change for everybody.

It started at a press conference event that was called by Ronnie Liu, the state’s chairman of local government, study and research committee.

More than half a dozen nongovernmental organisations for people with disabilities turned up.

I saw that they were well represented.

The Deaf community was there along with the blind. A rep from persons with learning disabilities was also present.

Even the breakdown of wheelchair users was perfect: there was someone who was paralysed from his neck down; those handicapped from the waist down, someone with walking difficulties who also used a wheelchair and even a woman with brittle bones.

Many people don’t realise that wheelchair users don’t necessarily have the same needs. Depending on their level of paralyses, their special needs often differ from each other.

We were all there to form a special committee at the state level. Headed by Liu as the adviser, the meetings will be chaired by a person with a disability.

Our mission is to spend the next three months at least visiting all the 11 local councils in Selangor to help them set up a disability committee as soon as possible.

The Petaling Jaya City Council is an exception to this rule because it already has had an active disability committee that has been meeting every month since three years ago.

The purpose of setting up the committee with disabled persons in it is to ensure that local councils will actively pursue programmes for handicapped and elderly citizens.

The committee will constantly inspire, remind and even monitor the progress stages of each local council’s efforts in creating a barrier-free environment where all citizens can benefit.

It was established at the event that positive changes like this can only come about when the local councils actively engage people with disabilities in their building plans.

The local council chief underscored the importance of local councils working with NGOs for the disabled.

“People with disabilities are in the best position and should be recognised as the experts to advise governments on disabilities,” said Liu.

In addition to the setting up of the committee, here are some other important issues that were mentioned at the press conference:

• The special committee under Liu will be providing the names of the NGOs for each of the local councils.
• The committee will also be involved in education programmes. Liu immediately set aside RM10,000 for the committee. A special national forum is being planned for all local councils throughout the country in June of this year. The purpose of this special forum is to encourage all other local councils to also set up disability committees of their own.
• A special booklet on how to set up disabled committees in local councils will also be undertaken soon by the special committee.
• Plans are also underway to look into a welfare allowance for all disabled persons in the state. It was suggested that the Selangor government look into coming up with a monthly allowance of at least RM500 minimum for each disabled person. Currently, not all disabled Malaysians are entitled to financial aid from the welfare department.
• A study will also be underway shortly to look into changing the local bylaws to penalise people who abuse facilities that are made for the handicapped. These include non disabled persons parking in handicapped spots as well as for building managements that turn disabled toilets into store rooms for mops, buckets and other things.
• The Selangor government will also be looking into ensuring that all buildings – even those with only two or three floors – should be equipped with lifts to assist those in wheelchairs and the aged. One of the methods is to come up with incentives for developers who provide such facilities.

“I have never been excited about the previous promises to the disabled as the one I attended last Friday,” chirped 60-year old Taslim bin Kosni who became blind shortly after he was born.

“Finally, not only something very positive for the handicapped in Malaysia but also some strategies that will actually make a lasting difference in our lives,” he told Wheel Power after the meeting.

I couldn’t agree with him more.

The End

Change for the better

Thursday March 31, 2011

Change for the better

SOMETHING wonderful has transpired for people with disabilities in Selangor. The move to raise the quality of life of Malaysians with disabilities was discussed at a press conference held at the Selangor state secretariat building last Friday.

When it was over, all of us in wheelchairs and those with other types of disabilities couldn’t stop beaming from ear to ear just thinking how our lives will be changed for the better.

It started at a press conference called by Ronnie Liu, chairman of the state’s local government, study and research committee.

More than half a dozen non-governmental organisations for people with disabilities turned up. They were well represented. The deaf community was there along with the blind. A representative of persons with learning disabilities was also present.

Even wheelchair users were well-represented. There was someone who was paralysed from the neck down, those handicapped from the waist down, someone with walking difficulties, and even a woman with brittle bones.

Many do not realise that wheelchair users do not necessarily have the same needs. Depending on their level of paralysis, their special needs often differ from one another.

We were all there to form a special committee at the state level.

Headed by Liu as the adviser, the committee meetings will be chaired by a disabled person. Our mission is to spend the next three months visiting all the 11 local councils in Selangor to help them set up a disability committee.

The Petaling Jaya City Council is an exception because it already has an active disability committee.

The purpose of setting up such committees is to ensure that local councils will actively pursue programmes for the handicapped and elderly citizens.

The committee will monitor the progress of each local council in creating a barrier-free environment that benefits everyone.

It was highlighted that positive changes like this can only come about when the local councils actively engage people with disabilities in their building plans.

Liu underscored the importance of local councils in working with NGOs for the disabled. In addition to the setting up of the committee, the following issues were also raised at the press conference:

> The special committee under Liu will provide the names of the NGOs for each of the local councils.

> The committee will be involved in educational programmes. Liu set aside RM10,000 for the committee. A special forum is being planned for all local councils throughout the country in June. It is aimed at encouraging local councils to set up disability committees of their own.

> A special booklet on how to set up disabled committees in local councils will be compiled by the special committee.

> Plans are also under way to look into a welfare allowance for disabled persons in the state. It was suggested that the Selangor government consider a monthly allowance of at least RM500 for each disabled person. Currently, not all disabled Malaysians are entitled to financial aid.

> A study will be carried out to look into changing local by-laws to penalise people who abuse facilities for the handicapped. These include non-disabled persons who park in lots allocated for the disabled, as well as building managements that turn disabled toilets into store rooms.

> The Selangor government will look into ensuring that all multi-storey buildings are equipped with lifts for the benefit of the wheelchair-bound and the elderly. One way is to come up with incentives for developers who provide such facilities.

Tuesday March 29, 2011

Welfare dept bent on eradicating KL of beggars

By FAZLEENA AZIZ
fazleena@thestar.com.my
Photos by LOW BOON TAT

THE Federal Territory Welfare Department (JKMWP) is taking steps to rid Kuala Lumpur of beggars.

It is not an easy job because the officers from the department have to deal with various people and situations while carrying out operations.

Often the officers have to use their persuasive powers to get the beggars to follow them while some had to be carried into the truck.

When it involves women and children, female officers are called in to handle the situation.

Helped out: Welfare department officers wheeling a beggar found in Chow Kit to the van.

Federal Territory Welfare Department deputy director Mujah Hamad said begging was now more of a profession.

“People used to beg for food and money. But now even if the beggars have a comfortable home, they still go out into the streets to beg.

“In genuine cases, they usually have family problems so they end up on the streets.

Some of these beggars may be disowned or abandoned by their families,” he said during an operation last week.

A total of 18 beggars were caught under Section 3 (2) of the Destitute Persons Act 1977 in the operation in Chow Kit, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Metro Prima Kepong and Jalan Peel in Kuala Lumpur.

Under escort: Several Myanmar women and children being taken away from Jalan Bukit Bintang.

Once caught, the victims are documented and sent to Desa Bina Diri in Kuala Kubu Baru.

The Welfare Department will then file papers in court to get a temporary holding order, requiring the person to stay at the centre for 30 days.

After investigations, the court can order the beggars to be sent for rehabilitation at Desa Bina Diri in Mersing, Johor, and Desa Bina Diri Jerantut, Pahang.

Those aged between 18 and 59, are placed at Desa Bina Diri for rehabilitation and vocational training while those below 18 are placed at the Rumah Kanak-kanak/Rumah Budak Laki-laki under the Children Act 2001.

Those over 60 years with no relatives or caretakers or no source of income will be cared for at Rumah Seri Kenangan.

Getting details: Darus (left) talking to a beggar in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

While waiting to be documented after the operation, several Myanmar women and children were caught begging in Bukit Bintang.

The women with babies said their husbands had left them and they had to find money for the sake of their children.

A young Myanmar girl and her sister who were caught in Bukit Bintang said begging was the only way to get money for the family.

The girl who was born here speaks fluent Bahasa Malaysia and said there were 11 of them at home.

“My mum earns very little to take care of the children and we don’t receive money from the United Nations refugee agency anymore, so how are we to survive.

“Some of us go to school, so we need the money otherwise we won’t have anything to survive on,” she said, adding that begging was the only available option.

The department also picked up some abandoned old people in Jalan Peel based on complaints received.

An old fragile Chinese woman and an Indian Muslim man with poor hearing and vision were seated in the van waiting to be transferred to a home.

The old woman said she lived with her son but he was not at home most of the time.

“I have to resort to wearing pampers and I hate it.

“I had a hard life where I used to sell coffee and often had blisters from the spilled hot water,” she added.

There was also a case where an old Indian man chose to follow the department officers because his children no longer wanted to take care of him due to his unpredictable behaviour.

There were three “colourful” beggars nabbed in Bukit Bintang.

The three men had painted their faces and clothes in gold dust to earn some money.

Mujah, who spoke to the three of them, revealed that they were jobless and were ex-convicts.

They said it was hard to find any job in the city but Mujah assured them that there were opportunities if they were not so choosy.

Senior community welfare assistant officer Darus Hassan, who coordinated the operation, said they had to move fast to nab the beggars to prevent them from running away.

For Darus, some of the beggars are “repeat offenders”.

“I know most of them as I have caught them a couple of times before.

“Each time I place them at the centre, they manage to escape and get back to the streets.

“However, some of them have progressed and live a good life now.

“It is not easy to get rid of these beggars because in some places there are syndicates operating and we have act very tactfully to catch them,” he said.

Darus added that he always prepared the officers before any operation because the beggars would use tactics to get themselves out.

“Usually the beggars will say they have a home and that they are only here for a short time to rest.

“In the case of women and children, they will start to cry.

“But we must be resilient and immune to all of this, otherwise we cannot get any work done.

“At the end of the day, they must be taken off the streets,” he said.

Darus spends his evenings and free time roaming and scouting areas that are hotspots for beggars and tries to save them from the syndicates