Disabled drivers protest against new ruling
The protesters, led by Thanasayan (right), ‘throw’ their disabled status cards into a bin saying the cards mean nothing if they are required to go for check-ups every year. — Picture by Firdaus Latif
KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 — A group of disabled vehicle licence holders yesterday protested against the new requirements by the Road Transport Department (RTD), which they say are an inconvenience.
About 20 of them gathered in front of the department’s office in Wangsa Maju yesterday demanding that the regulations for licence renewal and vehicle modification that took effect on April 28 be withdrawn.
A spokesman from the group, Anthony Siva Balan Thanasayan, said they were now required to undergo a medical check every year when renewing their licences.
They also had to submit a medical report to the RTD when they acquire a new modified vehicle.
“We don’t see the need for RTD to insist on a medical report when we want to get new modified vehicles and renew or driving licences,” he said.
“We are agreeable if RTD wants us to provide a medical report the first time we obtain a driver’s or rider’s licence but to do it every year is not fair.”
Thanasayan, who is also the president of Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association, said the department should already have their medical records in its computer system.
Paralympian Law King Kiew said several of the disabled, who held disabled status cards, had possessed driving or riding licences for years.
“The new requirement is just repetitive and tiring,” said Law, who took part in the Sydney Paralympics in 2000.
The group, who held placards, protested for almost an hour but no representatives from RTD showed up to speak to them.
Attempts to contact RTD for comments were not successful.
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