PROGRESS REPORT: Updates - Photos of Construction Progress at ILTC Project on 10/09/2011

PROGRESS REPORT:

Updates - Photos of Construction Progress at ILTC Project on 10/09/2011

துன் டாக்டர் மகாதிர் பின் முகமது

துன் டாக்டர் மகாதிர் பின் முகமது

1. துன் டாக்டர் மகாதிர் பின் முகமதின் இயற்கை பெயர் மஹாதிர் த/பெ இஸ்கந்தர் குட்டி.

2 . மகாதிர் ஜூலை மாதம் 10 ஆம் நாள் 1925 இல் கெடா மாநிலத்தில் பிறந்தார்.

3 . இவரின் தந்தை இஸ்கந்தர் குட்டி கேரளா மாநிலத்தில் இருந்து இங்கு புலம் பெயர்ந்து வந்த ஒரு மலையாளி. இவர் ஒரு பள்ளி ஆசிரியர்.

4 . இவரின் தாயர் வான் தெம்பாவான் மலேசியாவில் பிறந்த மலாய்காரர் .

5 . தான் ஒரு இந்திய வம்சாவளியில் வந்தவர் என்பதை ஒத்துகொண்டாலும் இவர் தன்னை ஒரு மலாய்காரர் என குறிப்பிட படுவதையே விரும்புகிறார். அது மட்டும் இன்றி மலாய் மேலாண்மை குறித்து இவர் அதிகம் பேசியும் எழுதியும் உள்ளார்.

6 . இவர் மருத்துவம் பயின்ற சிங்கபூர் பல்கலைகழகத்தில் இவர் தன்னை ஒரு இந்தியன் என்றே குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

7 . தனது இந்திய அடையாளத்தை இவர் எப்போதுமே வெளிகாட்டுவதில்லை. அப்படி சொல்வதை வெட்கமாக கருதுவதாக கருத்து உள்ளது.

8 .1981 ஆம் ஆண்டு ஜூலை 16 - 31 அக்டோபர் 2003 வரை இவர் பிரதமராக இருந்தார்.

9. நான்காவது பிரதமரான இவர் ஆசியாவின் நீண்ட காலம் சேவையாற்றிய பிரதமர் ஆவர். இவரின் கீழ் நால்வர் துணைப்பிரதமராக இருந்துள்ளனர்.

10. 1945 இல் அரசியலில் ஈடுபட ஆரம்பிட்ட இவர் 1946 இல் ஆரம்பிக்க பட்ட அம்னோவின் ஆரம்பகால உறுப்பினர் ஆவர்.

11. சீனர்களின் வாக்குகள் தேவை இல்லை என அறிவித்ததனால் 1969 இல் நடந்த தேர்தலில் 989 வாக்குகள் வித்தியாசத்தில் இவர் தோல்விகண்டார்.

2004 ஆம் ஆண்டு சுதந்திர தினத்தில்
மகதீரை சிறப்பு செய்யும் வகையில் TM
கட்டிடத்தில் அவரின் padam

12. தனது பதவியை தக்க வைத்துக்கொள்ள இவர் மத மற்றும் இனவாத அரசியை கையாண்டார். இதனை மலேசியர்கள் மகாதிர்ஸ்ம் என குறிப்பிடுவதுண்டு.

13. இவரது ஆட்சி காலத்தில் மலேசியா துரித முன்னேற்றம் அடைத்தது.

14. இவரது ஆட்சி காலத்தில் தான் இந்தியர்கள் பலவகையிலும் ஓரங்கட்டப்பட்டனர்.

15. இவரது ஆட்சி காலத்தில் பேச்சு சுதந்திரம் குறைவாக இருந்தது.

16. பிற தலைவர்கள் உருவாகுவதை விரும்பாதவர் என்ற குற்றசாட்டும் இவர் மேல் உள்ளது.

17 . 1987 இல் கட்சி தேர்தலில் நடந்த தில்லுமுல்லுகள் காரணமாக 1998 இல் அம்னோ நீதிமன்ற தீர்ப்பு முலம் தடை செய்ய பட்டதை தொடர்ந்து இவர் புதிய அம்னோவை துவக்கினார்.

Thursday September 15, 2011

A big step forward

Local councils get a nudge in the right direction.

SYABAS to Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil for playing an instrumental role last week in persuading the Cabinet to make a positive move in the interest of the country’s disabled community.

The minister succeeded in getting her colleagues to push for the appointment of people with disabilities (PWDs) in special committees in every local council.

This is to ensure that basic issues such as accessibility will no longer be overlooked and neglected by city and town council planners and engineers.

The move follows a similar directive given by Selangor Chairman of the Local Government, Study and Research Committee Ronnie Liu to all 12 local councils in the state earlier in the year.

I think it is great that both these politicians have put aside their party’s differences momentarily in such an exemplary way to focus on the handicapped community which is struggling with the most basic issues.

They have pointed out that if disabled people are ever going to catch up with the rest of the nation, it must start with the local councils.

To put it in a nutshell, when the disabled are able to use the pavements or access buildings with their wheelchairs, only then will they be able to find jobs, take care of themselves and live like the rest of society.

No amount of admonition from politicians is going to make a difference for the more than 10% of the population, coupled with the growing number of elderly citizens, if local councils do not get into the act.

As chairman of Petaling Jaya City Council’s technical committee on disability, here are some tips from MBPJ for those who are unsure of how to get a committee going or what to do after that:

> Choose your PWDs wisely. Although it is imperative to have people with handicaps in the meetings, make sure the ones you pick will be able to contribute. There is no time to lose, so do not get people who will just warm the seats. The ones picked must be serious, dedicated and knowledgeable. This may require some orientation and exposure of how councils operate to give each PWD an idea of what is expected of them.

> Have meetings once a month: There is so much to catch up on and monthly meetings will help to get things going.

> Have a wide and varied representation: Don’t only think of those in wheelchairs. It’s vital to get others like the blind, the deaf, people with learning disabilities, little people and even the elderly with physical problems. Don’t forget parents of PWDs, too. They often have great ideas but don’t have the opportunity to voice them.

> Invite active NGOs: Think of support groups for people with stroke, Parkinson’s and even epilepsy, not just people with physical disabilities or those in wheelchairs. People with walking disabilities have a lot to contribute, especially in the way pavements are designed. Having said that, don’t forget individuals with disabilities as well. Because many of them may have been locked away in their homes as the local councils had forgotten about their needs, they may present the best ideas.

> Provide or pay for their transport: This is the least councils can do for their invaluable input.

> Approve new buildings only when they get the blessing of the committee. The PWDs’ views should go hand-in-hand with the local councils’ engineering and planning department.

> Organise regular site visits: Each local council should organise regular visits to the new buildings during construction to make sure that everything is in order.

> Hold social awareness programmes: International Day for the Disabled on Dec 3 and other special days such as Parkinson’s Day, World Mental Health Day, Older Persons Day and White Cane Day are all excellent opportunities for local councils to highlight and involve the public.

> Exemplary certificates as recognition: Identify buildings, restaurants and even homes for the disabled and elderly that provide proper facilities and appreciate them for their deeds. This is a very effective way to get more outfits to create a better world for PWDs.

> Slow and steady will get you there: Don’t be in a rush to get everyone on board. You can invite them over the weeks and months. Starting small will also help you to make sure that you have the right people on board who can help you reach your target.

So to all the local councils everywhere: Good luck!

New Cheras bus terminal disabled-friendly

Disabled commuters can look forward to service with a smile at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

New Cheras bus terminal disabled-friendly

Disabled commuters can look forward to service with a smile at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

LAST week, we were pleasantly surprised to receive an invitation from Maju Terminal Management and Services (Maju TMAS), the operators of the new bus terminal, Terminal Bersepadu Selatan at Bandar Tasik Selatan (TBS-BTS) in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. They wanted us to check out the disabled-friendly features at the terminal.

Maju Holdings, the parent company of Maju TMAS, was awarded a design-and-build contract in November 2007. They had the mammoth task of constructing the RM570mil terminal within three years. The terminal would serve as an integrated transportation hub where the public can commute by bus, taxi and rail. Bandar Tasik Selatan was identified because of its ERL and Komuter rail lines.

The terminal which began operating at the start of this year, has replaced the newly renovated Pudu Raya bus station for all south-bound buses.

A key feature of TBS-BTS is the disabled-friendly facilities which also cater to the elderly.

Special service: Wheelchair-users can purchase tickets with ease at dedicated counters for the disabled and the elderly at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

So when I was invited to offer feedback on the company’s efforts in looking into the needs of handicapped users, I was quite excited.

As chairman of the disability technical committee of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), which offers advice on handicapped-friendly features to developers, I thought it would be a good idea to bring along some of my team members with disabilities, as well as MBPJ’s planning and engineering staff.

Now, I must admit that we were half-expecting to see things that were not in proper order at the terminal, because of past experiences with other outfits which promised the same thing but turned out to be the opposite.

But boy, were we in for a surprise! The first thing that we were thrilled to notice at the terminal were the guiding blocks for the blind. These bright yellow tiles with grooves in them – also called tactile flooring – help the blind find their way about independently.

If you live in KL or PJ, you are likely to notice more and more of them being built in the outside environment, especially on the pavements.

However, what is notable about TBS-BTS’ tactile flooring is that they are also placed inside the terminal. This is exactly how it should be done – both outside and inside.

Long stretches of tactile lines from outside of the terminal effectively lead blind commuters into the building all the way to the information and ticketing counters.

They are also designed to guide the visually impaired into the restrooms which are wheelchair-friendly.

Our blind technical expert was thrilled. He used his white cane to cover almost the entire building.

Most buildings that claim to be friendly to the blind, sadly stop short of providing tactile flooring inside the building. This leaves blind visitors at a loss over what to do next when they are inside. Although our expert is blind, he was quick to point out areas that could do with some improvement. Some of the tactile lines, for instance, were not continuous at entry points such as the doors. For some reason, the able-bodied designers had overlooked this.

There were also certain areas where the management had placed chairs, stand-up signs for the public to queue up or other obstructions close to the markings. Blind commuters may accidentally knock into them.

As for wheelchair-users, there were three of us, including me. We represented various degrees of handicaps and gave our views based on our personal experiences.

We pointed out that the “lowered public phone booths” were not low enough for our wheelchairs. Some of the fittings such as the sink, water closet and dustbin in the restrooms were more of an obstruction than a help.

However, overall the boys at TBS-BTS had done an amazingly good job. We appreciated their willingness to receive feedback from us in good faith.

They said our feedback was a challenge to them to strive to make their terminal even better for persons with special needs.

The best news was that the terminal staff would be trained to go the extra mile to help all disabled commuters.

We were told that even before commuters with disabilities could approach the respective counters, the staff would get to them first.

With its golden service and improvements in the pipeline, TBS-BTS is certainly headed in the right direction. Syabas!

Cabinet defers decision on KLIA 2 aerobridges

Cabinet defers decision on KLIA 2 aerobridges

Posted on 7 September 2011 - 05:47pm
Last updated on 8 September 2011 - 07:41am

Azril Annuar
newskdesk@thesundaily.com

PUTRAJAYA (Sept 7, 2011): The cabinet has deferred its decision on the installation of aerobridges at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA 2) low-cost carrier terminal pending further studies on the matter, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha today.

The cabinet will continue the feasibility study on installing aerobridges in response to the plight of the disabled community’s protest over Malaysian Airport Holdings Berhad’s (MAHB) decision not to instal the aerobridges.

Kong had promised to bring up the matter to the cabinet after meeting 11 representatives from the disabled community yesterday, including non-governmental organisation (NGO).

“I brought up the issue during the discussion of the paper by (Women, Family and Community Development Minister) Datuk Seri Shahrizat (Abdul Jalil) that all public buildings must comply with disabled community friendly facilities.

“I met their representatives and I have informed the cabinet that KLIA 2 and generally all new main international airports need to have aerobridges. As the government, we must be caring and sympathetic to their needs,” Kong told theSun over a phone interview today.

However, Kong also said the Cabinet has “deferred making a decision, pending further studies on the matter”.

“This is the Cabinet’s decision. My stance on their plight is very clear. I am very sympathetic and I support their cause because the aerobridge can also be beneficial to others including pregnant mothers, infants and parents with infants and the elderly,” said Kong.

In a press conference earlier this week, Kong also said that KLIA is renowned worldwide as a first-class airport which means it should have “first-class facilities and not third-class facilities.”

The disabled community falls under the jurisdiction of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry. When asked whether its minister or any other members of the cabinet supported his proposal, Kong declined to comment.

Yesterday, 11 representatives from the disabled community met with Kong over the controversial decision by MAHB to forego the installation of 80 aerobridges at its new LCCT in KLIA 2 as it was not in line with AirAsia’s requirements and business model.

Its chairman Tan Sri Aris Othman said in July that the total cost for 80 aerobridges is around RM104 million. The RM2 billion KLIA 2 is expected to be completed in the second half of this year with an annual capacity 30 million passengers.