10 April 2012
Toilets for disabled outdated and abused
KUALA LUMPUR: The public toilets for the disabled are built according to the standards set by the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (Sirim) -- which are outdated.
"Sirim did not involve a wide group of the disabled therefore they couldn't fully understand our different needs," said Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive) president Anthony Thanasayan.
He explained that a person on crutches does not need as much space as a person on a wheelchair or a blind person does.
Although they are able to use the normal toilets, they still need Braille signs to know where the toilet papers and water taps are.
The Petaling Jaya Municipal Council has drafted a guideline to give better public toilet service to the disabled community.
Anthony was also disappointed at how the able-bodied abused the toilets for the disabled by turning them into smoking and storage rooms.
"There are even shoe prints on the toilet seats. How can that possibly be made by a disabled person?" he said.
He explained that a person on crutches does not need as much space as a person on a wheelchair or a blind person does.
Although they are able to use the normal toilets, they still need Braille signs to know where the toilet papers and water taps are.
The Petaling Jaya Municipal Council has drafted a guideline to give better public toilet service to the disabled community.
Anthony was also disappointed at how the able-bodied abused the toilets for the disabled by turning them into smoking and storage rooms.
"There are even shoe prints on the toilet seats. How can that possibly be made by a disabled person?" he said.
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