Thursday July 12, 2012

Tough guy

WHEEL POWER
By ANTHONY THANASAYAN

Disability and hardship serve as a motivating force for Chong Tuck Meng.

THIRTY years ago on July 4, my chum Chong Tuck Meng encountered the darkest moment in his life. Chong was riding pillion on a motorbike when it skidded. Chong and his best friend were flung onto the highway. The latter died on the spot. Chong survived the accident, but he was paralysed from the chest down.

Chong now needs assistance to carry out his daily activities. He needs help from the moment he wakes up. Someone has to help him into his wheelchair and to the bathroom. The same applies for dressing up and even eating his meals.

‘Giving up was never an option,’ says Chong Tuck Meng.

“It has been three decades since but a shiver still runs down my spine each time I think about the accident,” says Chong, 51, who hails from Bentong, Pahang.

Chong has undergone more than 30 surgeries to deal with various medical problems, but he has emerged stronger from each episode.

Chong is an inspiration to the disabled community in Malaysia. He has a number of feathers in his cap: he founded Perwira K9 Malaysia, an association that supports people with spinal cord injuries, 10 years ago. Chong is also into wheelchair sports: he is president of the Malaysian Wheelchair Rugby Federation.

Chong is married to Elizabeth Roxas, a Filipina, and the couple have a daughter who is studying in Universiti Malaya.

Rather than give up on life, Chong uses every opportunity to help others who are in the same predicament.

“My disability and the hardship I have endured motivate me to push on. Giving up was never an option,” says Chong. “Many doctors back then gave me a poor prognosis. But it is fantastic that I have survived the past 30 years and look forward to many more.”

Chong shares some pointers on what we can all do to make a difference in the lives of the handicapped. They include:

> All persons with disabilities – especially those with spinal injuries – should find out as much as they can about their condition. Healthcare professionals should ensure that every individual is given the right information regarding his or her disability or at least directed to an NGO or source where they can get the necessary information.

> It is important for all who work with the handicapped to note that it is not the individual alone who may suffer from neglect or lack of support. Their families and caregivers go through the same experience, so they need help and support, too. Many of them need a break. For example, they like to be able to go shopping or take a holiday.

> Exceptions should be made for persons with profound disabilities. They should never be discharged from hospital and sent home when they still need medical care for conditions like pressure sores. Quite a few of them have died as a result of the lack of care or their families did not know how to treat pressure sores. If hospitals are short of beds, then an alternative healthcare home should be made available so that they can have access to expert caregivers trained in medicine. These should be provided free for those who cannot afford to pay.

> A new rehabilitation hospital in Kuala Lumpur will be launched by the end of this year. It is said to be the best of its kind in South-East Asia. It will have modern and proper facilities and services. Whilst this is a very positive move by the Health Ministry, the Government should always think outside the box to ensure that disabled and elderly people who do not have access to such outfits are ensured of specialised homecare and help when their families are no longer around to look after them. One way is to provide caregivers, sponsored by the Government, to help the bedridden at home.

Chong hopes to see special allowances in the coming Budget for such caregivers, waiver of levy on foreign caregivers for the disabled, and a prompt replacement – without charge – if these foreign caregivers abscond. For stay-at-home patients, nursing care to dress wounds and free medicine should be provided by the nearest government hospital.

Thursday July 26, 2012

A chance to voice out

Wheel Power
By ANTHONY THANASAYAN

It is about time that our city pay attention to the needs of the disabled and build with them in mind.

MORE than 200 participants attended the PJ Liveable City Conference 2012 – City of Your Choice conference, organised by the Petaling Jaya City Council and the Malaysian Institute of Planners.

This was the second time the organisers were holding such an event after four years.

The purpose of the seminar, from my perspective, was to review, check and fine tune the goals of the 2008 conference. The vision was to make Petaling Jaya more “liveable” for all its residents with diverse needs.

It was good to see participants with disabilities at the seminar. The blind with their noticeable white canes and people in wheelchairs as well as the elderly were present.

The deaf were also invited, along with their sign-language interpreters. Judging from their participation, they certainly did not hesitate to express their views and concerns.

The talks that got my attention most were those by foreign experts who were invited to speak at the seminar. These included a husband and wife team, who were managing directors and consultants from Perth in Australia. The other trainer was from Canada.

The speakers offered valuable insight on how to effectively engage with the local government.

In terms of the local council, they reminded the authorities of the importance of including stakeholders in their planning and development projects.

No matter how critical some groups may be, it is still vital to embrace all residents and their special needs, they stressed. They then went on to point out the weaknesses in their own local governments and societies, as a learning curve for the benefit of the participants.

One of the things that made the disabled community sit up and pay attention was when one the experts suggested putting able-bodied local council heads, town planners and even architects, in wheelchairs for a day.

It was pointed out that this would be the most effective way to get people in positions of power to understand the needs of the handicapped community.

A blind participant said that he was thrilled to be invited to talk about his city’s future, especially as far as his needs as a blind resident was concerned.

He was delighted to be able to mingle with town planners, architects and Residents Association representatives.

“Many of the sighted persons were surprised that I had so much to contribute, even though I can’t see a thing,” he shared with me later.

He brought up the example of hotel facilities which were often not friendly towards the handicapped like him.

He had even met architects who hadn’t a clue about tactile flooring which are meant to assist the blind find their own way independently.

Another common problem was non-talking lifts. Since there are no voice synthesisers, blind people have no idea which floor they are getting off.

Braille buttons only help them decide which floor they want to get to.

A wheelchair-user said he always worries about accessibility whenever he goes out in his wheelchair.

“Hotels that don’t provide disabled-friendly car parks right at the entrance with wheelchair logos are actually saying to handicapped people that they don’t want us there. This is the message we indirectly get from them,” said the 51-year-old participant.

A liveable city for wheelchair users should have smooth pavements for wheelchairs, covered-up manholes, ramps in entrances of buildings and handicapped-friendly toilets on every floor, he pointed out.

An able-bodied participant, who is involved in several major development projects in the Klang Valley, said that it is high time that the handicapped and the elderly’s needs are taken into account in every aspect of city-building.

“Malaysia can no longer afford to be lackadaisical about this,” he added.

“Creating a community which is accessible and inclusive will help the disabled immensely. It is important for the government of the day (at state and federal levels) to prepare for access for the disabled and have an inclusive plan for Malaysians with special needs. Such a plan is much needed, considering the current trend where more and more people are growing older and becoming disabled.

“One can ask what does access and inclusion mean? It means different things to different people. By providing information, services and facilities that are accessible to people with various disabilities, an authority is reducing barriers to participation, and promoting inclusion in the activities and functions of that community,” he concluded.

The Liveable City Conference certainly opened up the eyes and hearts of many a participant that day.