Locked disabled-friendly loo raises commuters’ ire

Community

Thursday, 9 June 2016

Locked disabled-friendly loo raises commuters’ ire

Disabled folk gathering at the KTM Komuter Rawang station to show their dissatisfaction over not having access to the disabled-friendly toilet there.

THE disabled community in Rawang are furious over the closure of the disabled-friendly toilet at the KTM Komuter Rawang station for the past five months.

Murugan Mariapan, 35, who is wheelchair-bound, commutes by train from Rawang to Kuala Lumpur about three times a week to sell pens in the city centre.

One time when he urgently needed the toilet and insisted to the station management to unlock it for him to use, he found toiletries, goods and other items stored inside.

“The person who holds the key to the toilet had always given excuses that the toilet had no water and electricity. It is ridiculous and this has been going on for five months,” he said.

Lending their voice to highlight the plight was Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) Malaysia led by its president Francis Siva, who said it was a violation of human rights for the station not to provide a toilet for the disabled.

“Basic necessities such as a toilet is a must,” said Francis, who claimed that some disabled-friendly toilets at other KTM Komuter stations were also kept locked at all times.

Another disabled person Tina Abdul, 54, said the lifts at the KTM Komuter station did not work and she had to wait for help to exit the station.

“We have to make a living and have important appointments to keep. KTM Komuter should be responsible in making their stations disabled-friendly, as many disabled people commute by train daily, especially from Rawang to the city centre,” she added.

ILTC adviser Datuk Seri Bala Krishnan and Selayang MIC chairman M.B. Raja said they would lodge an official complaint to the Transport Ministry to ensure all train stations have disabled-friendly toilets.

“We must work hand-in-hand with the disabled community in building an effective and disabled-friendly transportation system,” said Raja.

KTM Berhad corporate communication manager Siti Badariah Wan Hanafi promised an investigation into the toilet complaint, including the allegation of the toilet maintenance staff being rude to the disabled person.

“As for the lift, we will repair it soon,” she said.