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.

‘Revoking aid to disabled farmer a shameful act’

K Pragalath

 | March 6, 2012

PKR vice president N Surendran says that the aid termination for disabled Sarawak farmer Frusis Lebi is a high-handed, unlawful, intolerant and shameful act.

PETALING JAYA: PKR vice president N Surendran said denying aid to a disabled farmer in Sarawak was a high-handed and a shameful act by the BN led Sarawak government.

Fifty-one-year-old Frusis Lebi’s hands and feet are deformed. So it came as a double blow to him when he discovered last year that both his welfare allowance and his subsidies for fertilitiser and seedlings were revoked.

Lebi, who lives in Entulang longhouse in Sri Aman, is an opposition supporter who believes he has been victimised by Mong Dagang, the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth chief, who is also the State Assistant Minister of Agriculture (research and marketing).

Lebi’s biggest mistake was  that he openly supported the opposition in the last state election and hoisted a PKR flag in front of his house.

He added that the (Sarawak Chief Minister) Taib Mahmud administration breached the constitution and that BN’s action was against democracy.

“By punishing Frusis Lebi for supporting the opposition, the Sarawak state government has breached his constitutional right to freedom of association under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.

“What the BN has done in Frusis Lebi’s case goes against the very basis of our democratic system of government. It also makes nonsense of Prime Minister Najib’s promises of reform and a fairer administration,” said Surendran in a press statement.

Surendran also accused BN of being insensitive to the needs of the disabled community and failed to hear the plight of the disabled as echoed by disabled advocacy groups.

“Indeed, the BN government acts as if the disabled do not exist.

“The BN has a long track record of complete insensitivity to the needs of the disabled.

“The needs of the disabled in terms of education, access to public facilities and employment opportunities have long been neglected under the BN,” he said.

Surendran further charged that Mong Dagang’s actions was a reflection of BN’s track record in coercing support for the party.

“This disgraceful act is also consistent with Barisan Nasional’s long history of misusing government powers to bribe, threaten, terrorise and illegally pressure citizens into supporting the BN.”

He also wants the Sarawak state government to apologise to Lebi with both welfare and subsidies restored.

Disabled ‘punished’ for supporting PKR

Disabled ‘punished’ for supporting PKR

Joseph Tawie

 | March 5, 2012

A Sarawak State Assistant Minister allegedly showed his 'cruel' side when he instructed two government departments to revoke aid to a deformed man.

SRI AMAN: Fifty-one-year-old Frusis Lebi’s hands and feet are deformed. So it came as a double blow to him when he discovered last year that both his welfare allowance and his subsidies for fertilitiser and seedlings were revoked.

Lebi, who lives in Entulang longhouse in Sri Aman, is an opposition supporter who believes he has been victimised by Mong Dagang, the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth chief, who is also the State Assistant Minister of Agriculture (research and marketing)

Lebi’s biggest mistake is that he openly supported the opposition in the last state election and hoisted a PKR flag in front of his house.

A “heartless” Dagang had apparently instructed his officers to cancel Lebi’s subsidies and allegedly advised the Welfare Department to do the same. Both forms of aid stopped in October last year.

Armed with the letter allegedly from Dagang, Lebi sought the help of the Sri Aman DAP branch chairman, Leon Jimat Donald.

Together they lodged a police report last Friday against Dagang, for allegedly abusing his power against a disabled man.

“I am extremely shocked to read the letter believed to be from Dagang to the Departments of Agriculture and Welfare instructing them to revoke agricultural subsidies and welfare allowance for him on grounds that Lebi openly supported the opposition.

“I couldn’t believe that Dagang is so cruel and heartless against a disabled man on the grounds that he supported the opposition and hoisted a PKR flag in front of his house, and that he was against government policy.

“Dagang also allegedly accused Lebi of permitting the opposition to use his house as an operation centre” said Jimat.

Cruel act

Jimat said that Lebi did not deny that he was supporting the opposition during the last state election.

But he has vehemently denied that his house was the operation centre for the opposition.

“All he did was to put up the PKR flag in front of his house,” Jimat said, adding that the party was appalled by this excessive punishment and inhumane treatment of Lebi.

He said Dagang had no right to be “so cruel” to a disabled man, especially since the government aid came from the taxpayers.

“How can Dagang be so cruel to deny Lebi, a disabled man, his government aid? It is not Dagang’s personal money, neither is it Barisan Nasional’s money.

“It is the taxpayers’ money. All Malaysians pay taxes regardless whether they support Pakatan Rakyat or BN.

‘Unfair policies’

“I believe Lebi is not against government policy per se, but he is surely against the unfair and unjust policies of BN, which happens to be the government of the day.

“He was probably hoisting the PKR flag during the election with the hope that Pakatan would be the next state government,” Jimat said.

Jimat said that Dagang’s letter clearly reflected his total disregard and utter contempt for Lebi’s democratic rights.

Demanding that Dagang apologise to Lebi and his family, he also said the former should restore Lebi’s government subsidies and welfare allowance.

“Being government departments, the Welfare and Agriculture Departments should not allow themselves to be used as political tools of Dagang,” he said.

“They (government departments) cannot take part in politics, otherwise everything will go haywire when the Pakatan forms the next government,” he added.