Thursday March 8, 2012

A chance to be heard

 The disabled want greater accessibility and job opportunities, not pity.

MORE than 10,000 people, including the disabled, had a great time when they gathered at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, last Sunday.

They were there at a function to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Representatives from as many as 1,000 NGOs turned up at the gathering under the 1Malaysia people’s welfare programme (KAR1SMA).

Shahrizat gave each one of them a rousing tribute, saying that “without (your untiring work), we would be nowhere”.

On his part, the Prime Minister pointed out the need to reach out to every disabled person.

“Persons with disabilities do not want our pity; they deserve equal opportunities instead and we must give them that,” Najib said.

Several NGOs were given an opportunity to make their requests directly to the Prime Minister. Organisations that work with people with disabilities asked for greater accessibility, jobs to help them eke out a living, and representation of their issues in Parliament.

There were, however, some glitches at the event which I hope the organisers will look into for future programmes.

Only one lift was in working order in the stadium. This resulted in “traffic jams” for wheelchairs, especially during breaks. Not every wheelchair-user had assistance during mealtimes. We were put in the awkward position of asking the waiters for help.

On another note, the Faculty of Creative Multimedia at the Multimedia University (MMU) in Cyberjaya put together an interesting talk last Friday.

Prof Julio Abascal, an accessibility expert from Spain, spoke on “Universal accessibility to ubiquitous services: Supporting the everyday life of people with restrictions.”

Blind activist Yam Tong Woo, 58, e-mailed me his views on the event.

“All my blind friends and those in wheelchairs who attended the talk agreed it was one of the best sessions we have been to in recent times. We all listened in rapt attention as Prof Abascal disclosed how advances in Internet technology and computer software are revolutionising the lives of the disabled and elderly citizens in Europe.

“He pointed out how ubiquitous computing can help vulnerable people stay safe by providing useful information for their specific needs, whether it is at home, in the office or in the streets.”

According to Prof Abascal, elderly people who live alone can now be better monitored at home through computer technology and interfaces.

“Such information is vital in community nursing homes and independent living centres for the severely handicapped.

“Special devises and sensors to detect movements and other activities, can help monitor the safety and health of the individual. Say, if an elderly person slips in the bathroom or elsewhere and sustains a fall, an alert would be triggered within seconds to a medical control centre that will send help immediately.”

Prof Abascal gave an interesting insight into ways in which ubiquitous computering can enhance accessibility for the disabled and the elderly.

“A mobile device could be linked via interface to an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) kiosk ito revolutionise how disabled people manage their banking transactions. Those who would benefit from this technology are the blind, little people and wheelchair users.”

Out of bounds

Yam notes that it is a shame that in Malaysia, ATM kiosks remain out of bounds to the blind community.

“ATMs are not user-friendly for the visually impaired. Worse still, local banks do not allow us to own ATM cards; overseas countries have no problems with such issues.

“Prof Abascal showed us how a universal remote device that could enable disabled persons to be more independent – whether indoors or outdoors – is currently undergoing prototype testing.

“A wheelchair-user or the visually impaired could, for example, use the mobile device to operate the lift’s control panel, switch on the lights, or turn on electrical and electronic appliances and gadgets.

Prof Abascal reminded everyone that accessibility was an issue which would become of increasing concern in an ageing population, added Yam.

On a final note, it is regretful that MMU’s toilet for the disabled was out of order.

The management should make it a point to keep the toilet in working condition throughout the year.