Disabled activists slam Wan Azizah, Yeoh for not meeting them

Melissa Darlyne Chow

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May 30, 2019 2:38 PM

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Activists carry placards condemning Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Hannah Yeoh in Putrajaya today.

PUTRAJAYA: A group of disabled activists today turned up at the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development here, hitting out at its minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and her deputy Hannah Yeoh after the duo failed to meet them despite repeated requests.

Members from the Independent Living and Training Centre and the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly gathered outside the ministry today with a memorandum for Wan Azizah, accusing the ministry of not showing concern for the disabled community.

The group’s spokesman Anthony Thanasayan said the previous government was better in their treatment of the disabled community whenever a meeting was requested.

“They saw us when we needed to see them. When we needed to see (then-minister) Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, within five hours she would cancel her meetings and be here to receive us. She knew her priorities.

“Why don’t our minister and deputy minister know their priorities?” he asked, as activists gathered with placards, shouting “Fail, fail, fail”.

Fellow activist, ILTC Malaysia president G Francis Siva, said the group would hold a protest at the Parliament if they still could not meet the minister.

“We are not threatening, but if we are unable to get a meeting with either the minister or her deputy, we will hold a demonstration at the next parliamentary sitting,” he said.

Among the placards brought by a group of disabled activists to the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development in Putrajaya.

Anthony said Wan Azizah and Yeoh have still not accepted their requests for a meeting, adding that the duo were “cowards” and were not fit to hold the positions.

“If they are unable to meet us today, they should have told us so, and that we can meet up at another time.

“They are telling us they don’t want to listen to us,” he told reporters outside the ministry here today.

The former councillor of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), also pointed out the lack of facilities for the disabled and elderly, including parking bays and wheelchairs.

“There should at least be 50 to 100 wheelchairs available, for the elderly and those unable to walk,” he said.

Anthony said the disabled community should not be treated “like animals”, adding that they did not come for a sightseeing tour of Putrajaya.

Anthony said the ministry had done “nothing” for the disabled community.

Meanwhile, Francis said the ministry should review and update the welfare department’s policies and services for the disabled.

He said the government should also review allowances for the handicapped, bedridden and unemployed, saying they should be given RM500 a month.

Francis also called for the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to be implemented at all levels of the government.

He said members of the National Council for the Disabled should be chosen from among the grassroots who are well versed in issues concerning the community.

“There is no need to include those academics or those from the upper echelons of society,” he added.

Disabled activists say Pakatan govt worse than BN at dealing with their issues

Disabled activists say Pakatan govt worse than BN at dealing with 

NATION

Thursday, 30 May 2019

3:41 PM MYT

by joseph kaos jr

PUTRAJAYA: The Pakatan Harapan administration is worse at dealing with issues concerning people with disabilities, compared with Barisan Nasional, says several activists.

Activist Anthony Thanasayan said since Pakatan took over the government last year, it had yet to engage with disabled groups and requests to meet the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) have not been entertained.

“We have tried to meet with the minister (Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) and her deputy (Hannah Yeoh) and we continue to be ignored.

“Today, we are here to protest and meet with them, but none are willing to come and see us, even though we have notified them earlier that we would be coming.

“Even under Barisan, it was not like this. I am not a Barisan supporter, but when the ministry was under Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, she would cancel her meetings to come and see us,” said Anthony.

He added that both Dr Wan Azizah and Yeoh should make a public apology to the disabled community for not meeting them.

“To come all the way to Putrajaya is not an easy task for people with disabilities like us,” he said.

Anthony, who is president of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive), and about 20 other disabled activists, staged a protest outside the ministry here on Thursday (May 30).

The group, all wheelchair-bound, held up placards with quotes such as “We the disabled suffer from your attitude, not our disabilities!” and “PH begged for votes from the disabled, now we have to beg to see you!”

G. Francis Siva, the president of the Independent Living and Training Centre Malaysia, held up a placard with photos of Dr Wan Azizah and Yeoh and a caption that said “Report Card KPWKM - XXX”.

Francis read out several demands in a memorandum, which was later handed over to officials of the ministry who came out to meet the protesters.

“The National Council for Persons with Disabilities should have grassroots members such as us. We don’t need academicians in the council. We are the ones who understand the plight of the disabled and we should be listened to,” said Francis.

He also proposed that the disabled be given a minimum RM500 aid to help with their welfare.

Another proposal is for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to be enforced at all levels of the government.

“The CRPD is an international convention of which Malaysia is a signatory. The country is obliged to implement it,” said Anthony.  

Aktivis OKU berkumpul depan pejabat Wan Azizah, dakwa diabaikan PH

Mohamad Fadli

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May 30, 2019 2:35 PM

Sekumpulan aktivis OKU memegang sepanduk menyatakan kekecewaan kepada kerajaan PH di depan Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita Keluarga dan Masyarakat, hari ini.

PUTRAJAYA: Sekumpulan aktivis Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU) berkumpul di depan Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita Keluarga dan Masyarakat bagi menyatakan kekecewaan terhadap kerajaan Pakatan Harapan (PH) yang didakwa langsung tidak berusaha mendekati mereka.

Seorang aktivis OKU, Anthony Thanasayan berkata sikap pimpinan PH memalukan dan mendakwa kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) tidak pernah melayan mereka sedemikian.

“Kami dari komuniti aktivis OKU yang telah lama memperjuangkan hak dan kemudahan untuk komuniti OKU di peringkat nasional melihat masalah yang berlaku ketika kerajaan lalu masih berulang.

“Malahan saya berani cakap langsung tidak ada apa-apa perubahan. BN tak macam ini, walaupun saya bukan penyokong BN,” katanya pada sidang, hari ini.

Anthony Thanasayan.

Anthony berkata, sebelum ini bekas menteri Pembangunan Wanita Keluarga dan Masyarakat, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil sanggup berjumpa dengan mereka walaupun ketika itu ada mesyuarat dengan pihak lain.

Katanya, ini berbeza dengan menteri dan timbalan Pembangunan Wanita Keluarga dan Masyarakat, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail dan Hannah Yeoh yang sehingga kini tidak mahu jumpa dengan pihak OKU.

“Kalau takut kepada kita, macam mana nak tolong. Tolong beritahu hari, dan kita akan jumpa dengan kamu.

“Jangan abaikan kami. Kami datang untuk jumpa menteri. Tetapi mereka tak nak jumpa kita. Memalukan,” katanya.

Ada dalam kalangan aktivis yang hadir menyatakan kekecewaan mereka selepas mendapati sebuah kereta tanpa pelekat khas OKU diletakkan di parkir OKU di bangunan tersebut.

Seramai 20 aktivis OKU berkumpul di kementerian tersebut hari ini bagi menyerahkan memorandum kepada Wan Azizah untuk meneliti beberapa perkara penting yang masih gagal ditangani kerajaan.

G Francis Siva (baju biru) menyerahkan memorandum kepada wakil menteri Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita Keluarga dan Masyarakat.

Presiden Badan Latihan dan Hidup Berdikari Malaysia, G Francis Siva menyerahkan memorendum itu kepada wakil Wan Azizah yang enggan dinamakan.

Francis berkata beliau mahu kerajaan mengkaji semua dan mengemaskini polisi untuk OKU di bawah Jabatan Kebajikan Malaysia (JKM).

Beliau mencadangkan setiap OKU menerima minimum RM500 sebulan untuk menjaga kebajikan mereka.

Francis juga mempersoalkan tindakan proaktif JKM untuk menghubungi dan menyampaikan maklumat kepada golongan OKU terutama daripada golongan miskin.

Selain itu, beliau juga menggesa kemudahan bilik air OKU dihormati.

“Ini supaya hanya untuk OKU dan bukannya dikongsi untuk kegunaan komuniti lain yang bukan OKU,” katanya.

Beliau juga mahu pengurusan berterusan dan berkala dengan aktivis OKU setiap 2 bulan agar perancangan dan penambahbaikan program dapat dipantau secara berterusan.

Katanya, sambutan Hari Orang Kurang Upaya Antarabangsa haruslah diadakan pada tarikh yang diiktiraf iaitu pada 3 Disember setiap tahun.

“Kami amat tidak berpuas hati apabila hari tersebut disambut bersama dengan program lain pada 2018,” katanya.

Francis juga mahu satu pelan pakej telekomunikasi khas untuk masyarakat OKU, selain mahu semua sekolah di negara ini mesra OKU.

“Kementerian-kementerian lain perlu menyediakan program khas untuk OKU,” katanya.

Beliau berkata sekiranya tiada perubahan lagi, beberapa aktivis OKU akan berkumpul di depan bangunan Parlimen pada sidang akan datang bagi menyatakan ketidakpuasan terhadap kerajaan.