Sexuality & Fertility Symposium 2008

Sexuality & Fertility Symposium 2008

Symposium on Sexuality and Fertility for people with spinal cord injury 2008.

On 1st March 2008 (saturday) 15 ILTC members were invited to participate one day program of the Symposium on Sexuality and Fertility for people with spinal cord injury 2008 at Dewan Wawasan Cempaka, Menara PGRM, Kuala Lumpur.

The symposium was officated by YB. Dato' Seri Mohd Radzi Bin Sheikh Ahmad, The Minister of Home Affairs.

As we all know, the title says it all, sexuality and fertility. In our society, such topic can be quite a taboo that those with problems related to sexuality prefers to keep quiet. Instead of seeking treatment from the professionals and potentially get their sexual short-comings cured, they would rather keep it to themselves and silently suffers.

Persons with spinal cord injury are not spared from getting such problem. Damaged spinal cords are most certainly to be affected, as far as sexual ability is concerned, with Erectile Dysfunction and ultimately infertility being the two common cases.

It’s a matter that’s close to each and everyone of us that we seldom talk about even amongst the close ones.

In the event, we have the message experts in Dr Asiah Ibrahim, the Head of Rehabilitation Medicine HKL, Dr Nazirah Hasnan, the Rehabilitation Specialist from PPUM and Dr Loh Chit Sin, Consulting Urological Surgeon Gleanagles Intan Medical Centre amongst others has been contributed their line of expertise in getting to the bottom of our sexual woes.

Also, we are very honoured that the symposium was attend by Mr Shivjeet Singh Raghaw, from India as the main speaker. Mr Raghaw is a Peer Counselor from the Department of Rehabilitation at the Indian Spinal Injuries Center based in New Delhi.

Being a wheelchair-user himself, Mr Raghaw have share his expertise and knowledge on sexuality and fertility using his own method by what he terms it as ‘Holistic psycho-social rehabilitation approach’ towards disability living.

ILTC members who participate in this event have gain better understanding on a problem that’s been in us since we injured our spinal cord but was too ashamed to find any solutions to it.

The Grand Happy Hours at Secret Recipe in Rawang

The Grand Happy Hours at Secret Recipe in Rawang

Around TWELVE DISABLED ILTC MEMBERS had an unforgettable Dinner at Secret Recipe in Rawang. It was held on February 22, 2008.

ILTC members who participate at the Secret Recipe had an opportunities to taste the wonderful Secret meal of Secret Recipe. We also had a wonderful time to chit-chat and discuss during the hours.

VOTE FOR DISABILITY CHANGE IN MALAYSIA

VOTE FOR DISABILITY CHANGE IN MALAYSIA FOR THE UNIVERSAL ACCESS, INCLUSION AND BUILDING DESIGNS.

Voicing out: A group of disabled people protesting

Independent Living & Training Centre, Malaysia looking towards more from the Malaysian Goverment.

In Malaysia still not handicapped-friendly enough for the disabled people. ILTC feel the 12th General Election will be held on March 8, 2008 it comes to addressing fullfil disabled's needs.

ILTC reminding the Government that there was "still a lot to do" for the handicapped."The Government should concentrate on providing more handicapped-friendly facilities in the public and private sectors, and providing incentives for the handicapped to excel in the job market,"

Stop gap: A wheelchairbound person faces difficulty getting on
board a KTM Komuter train without help as the gap between
the train and the platform is rather wide.

The Government should also focus on making public transport more handicapped-friendly."Public transport does not address the needs of the handicapped much, and many handicapped people find it difficult to travel to their workplaces.

We hope that the Plan, when translated into policies, will address the needs of the handicapped. We all want to contribute effectively to the realisation of Vision 2020.

Thoughtless act: A car parked in a parking bay for the disabled
in front of a bank in Bandar Baru Rawang

Too often, parking places for the handicapped are taken by the able-bodied motorists. The Government must put a stop to this. There should be public education on the rights of the handicapped.

Animal assisted therapy gaining in popularity

Central
Tuesday February 19, 2008

Animal assisted therapy gaining in popularity

By WANI MUTHIAH

THE Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive) founder president Anthony Thanasayan’s only hope currently is to open a centre to cater to the needs of the disabled.

Anthony, who is pleased as punch that animal assisted therapy is gaining popularity among the disabled community, reckoned it is timely for the association to have its own centre.

“Quite a large number of the disabled come to Petpositive’s activities and I feel that we owe it to them to have a place for them to come to,’’ said Anthony.

He added Petpositive’s activities such as the jungle tracking event at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia’s (FRIM) botanical gardens in October and the Deepavali party in early December last year received overwhelming response from the disabled community.


Time for a get together: Some of the guests who turned up for the Deepavali bash in Oct.

“Those who attended the FRIM outing included people in wheelchairs as well as the blind and deaf,’’ said Anthony adding that they were exposed to various animals including frogs.

According to him going by the reaction of the participants, animal assisted therapy was indeed something that could create a strong positive impact on the disabled.

He said this was also seen during Petpositive’s Deepavali party, which was sponsored by the Brickfields Hanuman Temple committee.

“The disabled were given a chance to ride a horse as well as a pony and it proved to be a memorable event for them as most spent their life confined at home,’’ said Anthony.

He said the efficacy of animal-assisted therapy for the disabled had been proven in many parts of the world.

However, Anthony’s only grouse is that dogs were more often regarded with scorn and disdain by some Malaysians and were not allowed to accompany their disabled owners to public places.

“Dogs are the best companions for the disabled and they can also be trained as service dogs,’’ said Anthony who has several service dogs himself.

He added that the service dogs trained to serve the disabled were very focused and cannot be distracted by anything.

“These dogs are trained to serve their disabled human companions since they were pups and that remains their only goal throughout their canine lives.


Here for you: Thanasayan's service dog Soolam who accompanies him everywhere.

“And so, even if they were out among the general public, they would not leave their owners’ side, let alone look at anyone else,’’ said Anthony.

He said it was also befuddling that the authorities found it to be alright to allow VCD sniffer dogs access to public places but did not accord the same to service dogs.

Anthony said these were also reasons as to why Petpositive urgently needed its own premises to allow the disabled access to animal assisted therapy as well as to provide them a place to bring their service dogs.

“We need a corner lot single storey house with a garden located in either Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya or Klang for our centre and hope that some kind Samaritan would sponsor its monthly rental for us,’’ he said.

He added Petpositive also hoped that house owners who had unoccupied properties would allow the organisation the use of their premises.

“I hope 2008 would prove to be the year where Petpositive would be able to finally set-up its centre to help the disabled with animal-assisted thereby,’’ said Anthony.

Review of Mr. Murugan Disabled Trader

Review of Mr. Murugan Disabled Trader

EARNING a living is not easy these days, even more so when you are illiterate and disabled like Murugan Rajoo.

Having had no success at finding a job, Murugan decided to start his own business and sent two applications for a business licence to Selayang Municipal Council (MPS).

After two years had lapsed and still no response from the MPS, Murugan went ahead with his plan and began selling tidbits from his threewheel motorcycle outside Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Tamil Kuala Garing in Rawang.

He earns about RM30 a day to support his wife and four children, three of whom are studying.

However, his luck took a turn for the worse last year when his business was ‘crippled’ by an MPS operation to weed out illegal hawkers.

“There were a few other hawkers there but they managed to escape. He was not as lucky as he is an handicapped".

The offiers seized his motorcycle and the goods, leaving Murugan stranded by the roadside.

He then contacted President of the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC)

When we (ILTC members) reached the MPS branch in Rawang, we speak to the officer-incharge as we wanted to reclaim the seized items.

“The council staff were not only rude but humiliated us and violated our rights.

To Be Con't....

True love sees beyond the wheelchair

STARTWO - N E W S

L I F E S T Y L E

Focus Thursday February 14, 2008

Blind passion

True love sees beyond the wheelchair.
WHEEL POWER by ANTHONY THANASAYAN

LIKE S. Jeyaraj from Rawang in Selangor, most of us can’t help but eagerly look forward to a new job experience.

Of course, there are all the initial jitters that one has to deal with.

Will your new boss be easy to work with? What about your colleagues? Will you be able to handle the added responsibilities before you?

Although these were all serious questions that Jeyaraj had to answer, the benefits, such as a better salary, far outweighed the worries for the then 27-year-old technician who took on his new position working on an assembly line in Singapore in November 2005.

However, little did he realise that his world would soon come crashing down on him – literally!

Jeyaraj, the youngest of five siblings, vividly remembers the deadly day in January last year.

“It was the third day of what was supposed to be a very good year for me. I was underneath an eight-ton crane mast to inspect it when it broke loose and fell on me, crushing my spine instantly,” he told me last week.

Jeyaraj was conscious and in excruciating pain throughout the ordeal.

Paramedics rushed him to the National University Hospital (NUH) within half an hour of the incident.

The doctors wasted no time in operating on him. But, only before cautioning him that he only had a 5% chance of getting back on his feet again.

“At that moment, I didn’t think of the 5% part. I just thought that the sooner the surgery was done on me, my chances of recovery would be better,” said Jeyaraj.

However, it did not take long for the young paralysed man to realise that the doctors’ prognosis of his condition had been horribly realised.

“Then, it got worse,” he said, adding that some doctors told him they thought he would be bedridden for the rest of his life.

Who knows? That might have been Jeyaraj’s future. But as fate would have it, he was transferred to Singapore’s Tan Tock Seng hospital (TTSH) two weeks after his surgery at NUH.

For the next three months the healthcare workers at TTSH, who included physiotherapists, rehabilitation experts and even a psychiatrist, helped Jeyaraj put his life back together again, piece by piece.

“I had to learn to do everything all over again,” he said. “They taught me how to sit up in bed, transfer myself to a wheelchair, use the bathroom and even how to climb stairs with my wheelchair.”

To climb stairs, Jeyaraj was taught to sit on the lowest step, then lift himself with the strength of his arms onto the next one with the help of his folded wheelchair by his side for support.

“I didn’t realise how life could change all so suddenly. I recall crying at night sometimes because I felt so weak and helpless and wasn’t ready for this kind of life,” he said.

“Carrying each of my paralysed legs made me feel like a weightlifter – except that I wasn’t in the Olympics and what was happening to me was real!”

Looking back, Jeyaraj said the experience was worth it all thanks to the TTSH staff. Training was from 8am until 5pm on weekdays and 8am to noon on Saturdays.

Although the healthcare workers never gave up on him, they were also very kind, he said.

He recalled an embarrassing incident during his training when an accident occurred in his pants.

“Rather than get angry with me or scold me, my therapist just smiled and took me back to the ward where I was cleaned up and brought back for training,” said Jeyaraj.

The rehabilitation was so thorough that the issue of sexuality was also addressed. I was shown a video on lovemaking where the male was someone in a wheelchair and his female partner was able-bodied.

Within eight months of his devastating accident, Jeyaraj did the impossible – he started to drive again.

Cupid paid him a surprise visit in December last year when he tied the knot with his able-bodied wife whom he has known since 2003.

“It was the best thing that I ever did,” he said.

“I not only have someone to look after me now but I also have someone whom I, too, can look after and love for the rest of my life,” Jeyaraj added.

The wheelchair-user, who is also a young and upcoming disabled activist, works part-time at the Independent Living and Training Centre – a self-help group for disabled persons in Rawang.

His daily responsibilities include sending and picking up his wife who works in Subang Jaya.

His Valentine Day message to all: Never give up on love, especially when it comes to loving yourself and reaching your potential.

Push Yourself Forward

Push Yourself Forward
Monday, February 11, 2008

Arrow goes forward only after pulling in to backward.Bullet goes forward only after pressing the trigger backward.
Every human being will get happy.Only after facing the difficulties in their life path…
So do not be afraid to face your difficulties.
They will push you forward

Show Social Welfare ID to get 50% off on Rapid buses

Nation

Saturday February 9, 2008

Show Social Welfare ID to get 50% off on Rapid buses
By K. SUTHAKAR

PENANG: Effective Monday, senior citizens and the disabled registered with the Social Welfare Department need only show the identification cards issued by the department when travelling on Rapid Penang and RapidKL buses to get a 50% discount.

To reduce red tape, the Government has done away with the requirement for them to apply for the Rapid Card, issued by the companies.

“We want to simplify things. It is sufficient for them to show the card issued by the department to obtain the 50% ticket concession,” said Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

He was speaking to reporters at the St Nicholas’ Home here on Saturday.

Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad, who was with him, said it takes about two weeks for the company to process each card application.

He said about 10,000 senior citizens and 400 disabled people travelled daily on Rapid Penang buses.

Nor Mohamed said the problems that prompted the one-day strike by Rapid Penang bus drivers last Monday had been resolved.

“It is a small problem. When there is a problem, we look at it positively and resolve the matter quickly,” he said.

Thousands of bus commuters rushing for work and last-minute Chinese New Year shopping were left stranded on Tuesday when the drivers brought transport to a standstill.

ILTC wishing a Happy Chinese New Year

I as the President would like to take this opportunity to wish Gong Xi Fa Cai to all my friends, volunteers, contributors and well wishers of the ILTC .

May the new year brings prosperity and joy to you and your family. ILTC hopes that the Year of the Rat will bring peace and justice to all people with disabilities in Malaysians.

A Youth Group Paid A Surprised Visit To ILTC

On 6th Feb 2008 early morning a youth group from Taman Green Park Rawang paid a surprised visit to the Centre and cheer the resident of ILTC and contributed provision to the centre.

CNY Ang Pow Presentation By ILTC Patron YB. Dato' Tang See Hang

MCA Selayang Jaya has been invited 30 ILTC member to a Chinese New Year Dinner with YB. Dato' & Datin Tang See Hang. At the dinner they presented Ang Pow and Gift to the member of ILTC. They entertained all the members with warmest welcome.

ILTC take this opportunity to thanks YB. Dato' & Datin Tang See Hang and also the MCA Selayang Jaya Committee Members.

Computer Classes at ILTC

Computer Classes have been started today for the disabled person at the Centre. The class will be conducting twice a week by Ms. Jeya and she teach basic computer. Kindly contact us for futher information or who interested to attend our classes at 03-6091 2531.

Sewing Class For The Disabled

Sewing Classes For The Disabled Person Started at ILTC, Rawang on 4th February 2008. The conducting person is Rohani Jaffar also a disabled woman. She had experience in sewing almost 15 years. Member who interested or further more information kindly contact at 03-6091 2531.

Reaching Out Club’s first meeting. at Sek. Sri KDU - 28th Jauary 2008

On behalf of our organization we were very happy with Reaching Out Club's for the first meeting at Sri KDU Smart School. We hope that, the student will get to know us better understanding and also about our organization.

I hope that, the project from Reaching Out Club's will benefit the disabled person's from the motorbike scheme project.

Thanks and regards

Mr. Francis Siva

President of ILTC

A jungle pathway for the disabled

THE STAR - M E T R O
Central Friday January 25, 2008

A jungle pathway for the disabled
By Hilary Chiew

In the last 25 years, Chong Tuck Meng, has not stepped into the natural, outdoor world. Prevented from doing so owing to his disabled state of being, he recently gets a rare chance of being close to nature at the Kepong Botanical Garden.
“Forest is nothing new to me as I came from Bentong, Pahang which were pretty much a forested area during my younger days. So, it is really heartening to find this beautiful jungle in the heart of the city made accessible for people like me,” said the 45-year-old who heads the Perwira K-9 Malaysia, an organisation for people who are paralysed from the neck down like him.
(K-9 refers to the ward in Hospital KL for patients with spinal cord injuries.)
The 80ha garden located next to the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (Frim) has incorporated a 400m wheelchair-friendly pathway to cater to the needs of the disabled community.

Chong: Appreciates the chance to enjoy the jungle atmosphere again.

Refreshing: The wheelchair-bound visitors being taken around the trail at the Kepong Botanical Garden after the launching ceremony.

Called the Razak Walk, named after the current director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Razak Mohd Ali, the cemented trail was launched recently with little fanfare participated by senior staff of the institute and representatives from several organisations of the disabled community.
Razak said the trail was designed with the disabled in mind as there are not many public parks available for the disabled members of society. And it could very well be the first nature trail designed for the disabled people in the country.

Close encounter: Wheelchair-bound Francis Siva (left) and S. Johnson admiring a ginger plant along the Razak Walk.

Besides creating a disabled-friendly corner in the botanical garden, the trail also aims to introduce the natural wonders of the rainforest to the less fortunate lot.
The plot of planted forest is dedicated to under-storey plants like palms, orchids, gingers, pitcher plants and mosses. About 150 species of under-storey plants found in the peninsula as well as from Borneo had been planted along the 400m trail.
Under-storey vegetation thrives on the forest floor with canopy-filtered sunlight and plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance in the natural forest ecosystem.
“It is important for them to know the forests and appreciate it. Natural forests are too challenging for them so we’ve to provide this facility. Otherwise, they will just go to shopping malls.
“There are, however, room for improvement with the trail. We are getting feedbacks from the community after this launch and improve on the design of the trail which included some slopes and installing railing where it is needed,” he said, adding that the next disabled-friendly facility will be the 1.5km trail around the lake area.
Anthony Thanasayan, a vocal advocate of disabled rights thinks the trail was a noble effort on the part of FRIM and hopes that more of such facilities will be made available for the disabled community.

Cool trail: The Razak Walk is a 400m-long nature trail within the 80ha Kepong Botanical Garden.
“It maybe a small step for FRIM but it is a big step for us. The trail provided a fantastic opportunity for us to be acquainted with nature despite some of the shortcomings.
“We are offering ourselves to be in a committee to manage the trail so that we can share our knowledge on how to make the trail and the garden a truly disabled-friendly place,” he said.
Thanasayan said the steep parts of the trail could be a hindrance to the wheelchair-bound public and suggested an alternative route to avoid the dangerous slopes.

Rare outing: Anthony Thanasayan soaking in the sights, sounds and smells of the jungle.

The garden that is open to the public daily from 7am to 7pm is a popular haunt for joggers. However, some unscrupulous visitors had been stealing the rare plants in the garden.

CAMEBACK FROM VACATION - PART 1

Thanjavur
Thanjavur is 55 km east of Tiruchirappalli. It is the highly fertile delta of the Cavery River and the capital of the Cholas during their supremacy.

Pondicherry
Pondicherry, a Union Territory of India, came under French rule in the second half of the 17th century

Chennai

Chennai, The Gateway to the South; Chennai (formerly Madras) located besides the Bay of Bengal is embraced by it from the east, while the state of Andhra Pradesh is beautifully located on its northwest.

Dear friends,

After 2 weeks holiday, I cameback from India and I just started my job.

Here you can see a few importance places I was visited in South India.

Cheers and have a nice day

VACATION

VOCATION

I'm away from 29/12/2007 to 8/01/2008 from the ILTC Office for vocation.

Please contact Mr. Jayaraj at 012-979 3103 for any inquiry or further information.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Cheers,

Mr. Francis Siva
President of ILTC

Hotel fetes 60 disabled people to a nice meal

M E T R O - The Star
Central

Tuesday December 25, 2007

Having a good time: Thanasayan (second left) and Independent Living and Training Centre president Francis Siva (third left) with their other friends at the Cititel Mid Valley.

Hotel fetes 60 disabled people to a nice meal
About 60 people with disabilities from blindness, deafness and the wheelchair-bound were treated to a scrumptious lunch at Citi Cafe in Cititel Mid Valley and a tour of Gardens Galleria before heading for a shopping spree at Mid Valley Megamall.

The event jointly hosted by Cititel Mid Valley and Boulevard Hotel Mid Valley and organised by Malaysia Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly (PetPositive), also had groups from different organisations which dealt with the blind, deaf and those with Parkinson’s Disease.

PetPositive president Anthony Sivabalan Thanasayan said that almost everyone in the group had never stepped into a public place, let alone dine in a hotel or shop in a mall.

“This is an opportunity for them to help blend with the public,” he said.

Cititel Mid Valley and Boulevard Hotel Mid Valley communications manager Huang Chia Ming said that the hotel had played host to these group for the second year.

He added that it was always nice and refreshing to see members of the group share their ideas among themselves.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008

The Members of the Independent Living & Training Centre.

Dear Friends of ILTC, Malaysia

We wish to take this opportunity to thank all

*MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008"

Mr. Francis Siva
President of ILTC Malaysia.

MAB owes six an explanation

THE MALAY MAIL
FRIDAY DECEMBER 21, 2007

HOT NEWS

NINE YEARS TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OF FLATS

"MAB owes six an explanation"
By Dawn Chan

THE Malaysian Association for the Blind must explain to the six blind house-buyers why the transfer of ownership of their Pantai Baru flats in Section 20, Shah Alam, took nine years.

That was the view of RC Deaf Missons Malaysia, Independent Living and Training Centre and Women’s Collective Develop- ment on the plight of Leong Tak Keong and Wan Zainun Wan Mohamad, who paid in 1998, RM25,000 each for two low-cost flats in Shah Alam, in 1998.

The Malay Mail on their front page yesterday, 52-year-old Leong, Wan Zainun, 48, and four other blind friends who opted to pay instalments for their flats, were given the keys to the flats the following year (1999) and have been paying utility bills, insurance and quit rent. After nine years, the ownership of the flats remained under MAB. The six said the association turned a deaf ear to their pleas to transfer ownership.

RC Deaf Missons Malaysia director Agnes Peter, when contacted, questioned why the transfer took so many years when the keys to the flats were handed to Leong, Wan Zainun and their friends in 1999.

She said MAB has a lot to explain to regain the confidence of Leong and his friends. Peter added that if MAB’s executive dir- ector George Thomas claims he has been facilitating the process all along, he should prove the claim.

“Does it take that long to complete a sales and purchase agreement?

“This case did not have to reach the level where it needed the intervention of MCA Public Services and Complaint De- partment head Datuk Michael Chong and The Malay Mail to be solved.

“Shouldn’t the transfer be executed at the time the keys were handed to them? It is unfair,” she said.

Claims by Thomas that there was a communication breakdown between the as- sociation and the blind is not enough as an excuse.

“The six people have been victimised. It is sad that instead of having their trust in MAB to help them, they have to resort to putting pressure to see the progress of their house ownership transfer.

They should not be made to wait any longer,” said Peter.

Independent Living and Training Centre secretary Gurdip Kaur echoed Peter’s view.

“The six deserve an explanation as to why it took so long. Those involved in the buying of the flats for them should step in and settle the matter,” she said.

“They are not living in their flats for free, or have the support of MAB. They should rightfully have the ownership of flats. MAB should be helping them,” said Gurdip.

Gurdip added that MAB, being a big non-governmental organisation, has the power to quickly transfer ownership.

Gurdip said time should not be wasted and hoped the six would gain ownership of the flats soon.

After reading the plight of Leong and his friends, Women’s Collective Development executive director Maria Chin Abdullah was concerned if the documents that they had signed to buy the house, through MAB, provided any guarantee on the property.

Chin added that MAB should ensure that the welfare of the six is taken care of.

“They are the vulnerable ones who are relying on the association. If there are more delays in the transfer, perhaps PKNS could ensure there are follow-ups with the association, ” she said.

In 1998, Leong and Wan Zainun, who paid in full for the flats, along with four others who paid via instalments were assured that once the flats were ready, own- ership would be transferred to them.

After they were handed the keys to the flats in 1999, they agreed with MAB’s request that the flats be put under MAB’s trust for a few years until the sales and purchase agreement is executed.

They were assured that the ownership would be transferred to them. However, till today, this promise has not been kept. Leong, who also spoke on behalf of Wan Zainun, felt that since they paid for the flats in full, they deserved to get ownership immediately.

“We feel that it is not right for the flats to remain under MAB. For the past few years, we have asked MAB to give us ownership of the flats but they turned a deaf ear on us,” he said.

Despite countless lawyers’ letters and endless calls, Leong claimed MAB refused to budge and he had to seek the help of Chong in February. The six subsequently filled ownership transfer forms, given by PKNS to MAB on March 30 and signed the documents at the commissioner of oaths. MAB submitted the documents to PKNS on April 9.

“We later learnt that PKNS had, in Au- gust, returned the documents to MAB be- cause they were incomplete.

Sadly, MAB decided to sit on it and not inform us,” said Leong.Leong also said they were misled by MAB into believing that they got the flats cheap, at RM25,000 each, instead of RM41,000. He said a friend, who is also blind, bought a unit at the same price (RM25,000), which was the price set by PKNS.

Leong and Wan Zainun lamented that if they had known that the price was the same, they would have bought the units directly from PKNS and got the ownership immediately.

Expressing his disappointment with MAB and with their patience running thin,Leong said he has lost confidence in the association.

My Unfinished Speech On OKU

My Unfinished Speech On OKU
by Teresa Kok

December 19th, 2007

The Disabled people from some organisations for the disabled (OKU) have been hanging around in Parliament for about 3 days. They came on the day when Shahrizat presented the bill on Persons With Disabilities 2007 in Dewan Rakyat last Thursday. They then waited till today afternoon then only have chance to observe the MPs debate in Dewan Rakyat.

I have been very busy in the past few days over series of other issues. I was a bit relaxed when I was told that the Parliament will not debate on the Special Complaint Commission in this sitting. After the press conference with NGOs in the afternoon, I then spoke to some OKU and took some points from them.

I also spoke to my friend Honey Tan and took some points from her over the phone, when I opened my Facebook, I noticed a blogger emailed me his piece on OKU and expressed his concern over OKU bill. I then quickly combined all these points into the speech below. I did it when Shahrizat started her presentation on the introduction of the bill in Dewan Rakyat.

As usual, the speaker allowed BN MPs to speak first. When it came to MP for Kinabatangan, he asked all MPs not to take too much time to debate this bill because the OKU have been waiting for too long in the Parliament, and all MPs should just support and pass the bill and should not waste time on the debate. I tried to interrupt his speech but he didn’t give me chance. I then whacked him in my speech after that.

However, the Deputy Speaker Dr Yusof did not allow me to deliver the speech below. I tried to argue with him to allow me more time to speak but he said he has to limit our time to speak. I then passed the remaining part of my speech to Chow Kon Yeow who sits next to me, ask him to speak on my behalf as I have to rush to Seremban to attend a DAP dinner there.

Below is my speech on the Disabled Persons Bill:

Ucapan YB Teresa Kok, Ahli Parlimen Seputeh Dalam Perbahasan Rang Undang-Undang Orang Kurang Upaya 2007

Datuk yang diPertua, kenyataan yang diluahkan oleh YB Kinabatangan dan Sri Gading yang menyeru Dewan yang mulia ini untuk mempercepatkan perbahasan rang undang-undang ini adalah amat tidak munasabah, ini menunjukkan kedua-dua mereka tidak faham tentang kehendak OKU. Para wakil OKU telah datang ke Parlimen sebanyak 3 hari, mereka datang untuk mendengar perbahasan Ahli Parlimen dan mereka tidak akan puas hati sekiranya Dewan Rakyat meluluskan rang undang-undang ini secara tergesa-gesa. Sekiranya kita sayang pada OKU, Parlimen kita haruslah meletakkan rang undang-undang ini sebagai agenda pertama supaya mereka tidak perlu datang ke Parlimen selama 3 hari.

Tema bagi International Day of Disabled Persons (IDDP) 2007 is “Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities.” Ini adalah kerana 80% daripada Orang Cacat ataupun OKU ialah penganggur. Pada umumnya, 10% daripada jumlah kependudukan atau populasi kita ialah OKU, sekiranya peratusan ini dipakai dalam Malaysia, maka 2.16 juta OKU yang menganggur di negara kita.

Banyak faktor yang menyebabkan OKU tidak dapat bekerja, khususnya faktor pengangkutan awam. Tanpa pengangkutan awam yang mudah diguna oleh OKU, maka memang amat susah bagi OKU untuk bekerja dan belajar di sekolah. Selain itu, banyak bangunan dan kemudahan publik di negara kita adalah amat tidak mesra kepada OKU dan susah bagi mereka untuk beroperasi di sesuatu tempat. Selalunya majikan pilih tidak mengupah OKU untuk bekerja dengan mereka kerana mereka kurang faham tentang isu berkenaan OKU. Selain itu, terdapatnya majikan yang mengupah OKU demi “corporate social responsibility” dan bukan kerana kepakaran OKU dalam bidang tertentu yang boleh menyumbang kepada syarikat ataupun sesuatu organisasi. Keadaan ini merupakan kejahilan orang ramai terhadap kepakaran OKU.

Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi OKU – Kenapakah tidak ada perwakilan OKU?

Dari segi keanggotaan Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi OKU ini, saya merasa hairan bahawa rang undang-undang ini langsung tidak sebut tentang perwakilan OKU, manakala rang undang-undang ini adalah mengenai OKU. Dalam rang undang-undang mengenai wanita, perwakilan wanita haruslah dimasukkan dalam keanggotaan Majlis Kebangsaan Wanita kerana wanitalah yang paling tahu tentang masalah wanita, jadi macam manakah rang undang-undang OKU tidak memasukkan perwakilan OKU dalam keanggotaan Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi OKU?

Selain itu, kenapakah Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan tidak dimasukkan dalam senarai anggota Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi OKU? Bukankah ini merupakan kementerian yang paling penting memandangkan struktur bangunan dan kerajaan tempatan yang selalu merupakan halangan bagi OKU untuk bekerja dan beroperasi?

Di sini, saya juga ingin mencadangkan supaya jabatan bagi OKU di Kementerian Wanita, Pembangunan Keluarga dan Masyarakat haruslah menggaji OKU untuk berkhidmat di jabatan ini kerana golongan OKU yang paling faham tentang masalah mereka dan cara penyelesaian masalah mereka.

Sehubungan dengan itu, kenapakah Kementerian Wanita, Pembangunan Keluarga dan Masyarakat tidak mengadakan rundingan dengan para persatuan OKU di negara kita sebelum rang undang-undang ini digubal dan dibentangkan? Saya difahamkan bahawa para NGO OKU ini hanya dijemput untuk menghadiri taklimat tentang rang undang-undang ini sebelum ia dibentangkan di Parlimen sahaja. Kenapakah mereka tidak dirundingi sebelum ini?

Bagi perlantikan Prof Dr Ismail Salleh sebagai senator pula, saya ingin mengucapkan tahniah kepada professor ini, walau bagaimanapun, senator ini dilantik kerana kepakaran dan kebolehannya di bidangnya tetapi beliau bukan merupakan pejuang bagi OKU. Jadi sekiranya kerajaan serius untuk memberi keutamaan bagi OKU, selain daripada Prof Dr Ismail Salleh, kerajaan juga harus melantik lagi pejuang atau jurucakap OKU untuk menjadi senator dan pemegang jawatan tinggi di kerajaan.

Pemaju Harus Diwajib Untuk Melakukan Penyesuaian Munasabah

Di sini saya ingin menyentuh tentang “penyesuaian munasabah” ataupun “reasonable accommodation” yang termaktub dalam bahagian tafsiran dalam rang undang-undang ini berbunyi: pengubahsuaian dan pelaran yang perlu dan sesuai tanpa mengenakan bebanan tidak seimbang atau tidak wajar, jika diperlukan dalam hal tertentu untuk memastikan orang kurang upaya menikmati atau menjalani kehidupan yang berkualiti dan sejahtera atas asas kesetaraan dengan orang upaya.

Soalan saya ialah, apakah maksud “pengubahsuaian dan pelaran yang perlu dan sesuai tanpa mengenakan bebanan tidak seimbang atau tidak wajar” ataupun “ necessary and appropriate modifications and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden”? — setiap pemaju akan cari jalan keluar di bawah fasal ini dan tidak membuat pengubahsuaian yang wajar bagi OKU. Kita tidak harus membiarkan pemaju untuk mengelakkan tanggungjawab daripada rang undang-undang ini. Kerajaan harus memastikan supaya keadilan sosial ataupun “Social Justice” dilaksanakan oleh pihak pemaju dan ia tidak harus berkompromi atas isu ini.

Dalam rang undang-undang ini, isu “diskriminasi” tidak wujud dalam rang undang-undang ini. Jadi sekiranya seseorang OKU mendapati sesetengah pihak ataupun bangunan tidak mesra kepada OKU, mereka hanya boleh membentangkan aduan kepada Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi OKU, Majlis ini kemudian menyampaikan aduan kepada authority yang berkaitan, tetapi rang undang-undang ini tidak memberi kuasa kepada kerajaan untuk mengambil tindakan undang-undang terhadap pihak yang gagal menjaga kebajikan dan memberi kemudahan kepada OKU.

Masalah Penguatkuasaan
Memang tidak dapat dinafikan, selepas rang undang-undang ini diluluskan, ia akan menjadi tanda penting bagi OKU. Walau bagaimanapun, saya ingin tanya, macam manakah kementerian dapat memastikan isu penguatkuasaan dilaksanakan? Penggubalan sesuatu rang undang-undang tanpa penguatkuasaan adalah tidak berguna langsung. Misalnya Uniform Building By-Law 34A dalam Street, Drainage and Building Act adalah contoh yang paling nyata, yang mana kerajaan tempatan yang sepatutnya bertanggungjawab untuk menguatkuasakan pihak terlibat untuk mencapai standard menjaga OKU selalunya merupakan pihak yang melanggari undang-undang sendiri.

Misalnya, Sdri Gurdip Kaur, setiausaha bagi Independent Living and Training Center, beliau menerima saman daripada Majlis Perbandaran Klang dan didakwa ke mahkamah kerana tidak membayar tiket meletak kereta. Gurdip Kaur berkata, sebab dia tidak membayar tiket perletakan kereta ialah kerana pihak kerajaan tempatan tidak menyediakan petak letak kereta bagi OKU, selain itu, mesin pembayaran tiket letak kereta adalah terlalu tinggi bagi OKU yang duduk dalam kerusi roda, jadi beliau pun tidak bayar tiket letak kereta. Kesemua ini merupakan isu kecil bagi orang yang normal seperti kita tetapi ia merupakan masalah yang amat releven bagi OKU yang harus dipentingkan oleh kerajaan.

Seksyen 17 dalam rang undang-undang ini adalah “Tindakan Susulan” ataupun “follow up”, yang mana menghendaki kementerian, agensi, badan atau pertubuhan kerajaan mengemukakan laporan tentang langkah yang diambil dalam mematuhi peruntukan akta ini sebagaimana yang ditentukan oleh Majlis. Masalahnya ialah, sekiranya rang undang-undang ini tidak mengenakan hukuman ataupun “sanction” kepada pihak yang tidak mematuhi akta ini, apa yang akan dibuat oleh kerajaan sekiranya pihak terlibat tidak ikut akta ini?

Seksyen 19 dalam rang undang-undang ini adalah menghendaki Majlis untuk membentangkan laporan tahunan kepada Parlimen. Di Kanada, kerajaannya amat mementingkan isu kesaksamaan gender, jadi Menteri yang menjaga hal ehwal wanita dihendaki membentangkan laporan tentang kemajuan wanita di Parlimen negara itu. Jadi, sekiranya kerajaan adalah serius tentang perlaksanaan rang undang-undang ini, kerajaan mestilah mengadakan satu mekanisme untuk mewajibkan Menteri yang menjaga kebajikan OKU untuk membentangkan laporan tentang kemajuan OKU kepada Parlimen.

Teresa Kok

A Realistic Bill, says Shahrizat

NEWS - Parliament

Wednesday December 19, 2007

A realistic bill, says Shahrizat

PROVISIONS included in the Persons With Disability Bill 2007 were those which could be implemented for the disabled, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said.

“We do not want to have a bill which is nice to look at but can’t be implemented. This is a realistic bill for the disabled.”

She was replying to points raised during the debate on the bill.

Shahrizat said the Persons With Disability Bill 2007, which was later passed, was the ministry's way to fulfil its pledge to the disabled.

She said the bill took into account the needs in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Disabled and was also in line with the national policies and action plan to ensure that the disabled lived freely and had equal rights.

She said Malaysia would sign the convention in February.

On the issue of compulsory registration of the disabled, Shahrizat said making it compulsory would be a violation of their rights.

“We respect those who do not wish to register. Perhaps one day they will be comfortable with it and then come forward to do so,” she said in encouraging them to do so.

Up to June, a total of 209,208 persons with disability were registered with the Welfare Department.

On punishment for those who breached a disabled person’s rights, Shahrizat said the bill was not punitive in nature.

“There are by-laws which we can use to take action for non-compliance,” she said.

On whether mentally ill patients were included in the bill, Shahrizat said the ministry was still in discussion with Health Ministry over the matter.

Earlier when debating the bill, Wong Nai Chee (BN – Kota Melaka) expressed disappointment that an anti-discrimination law against the disabled was not included.

“I suggest having another bill for the disabled, namely an anti-discrimination bill to protect their rights,” he said.

Towards equal treatment for the disabled

Wheel-chair accesibilty in Parliment is still lacking

The Star Online

Tuesday December 11, 2007

Towards equal treatment for the disabled

A NATIONAL Council for Persons with Disabilities will be set up.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil tabled the Persons with Disabilities Bill for first reading at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday in the presence of several disabled people.

The bill seeks to provide for the registration, protection, rehabilitation, development and well being of persons with disabilities and the creation of the National Council tasked to promote their quality of life.

I am happy that this (tabling of the Bill) has become a reality,” said Shahrizat at Parliament Lobby yesterday.

The council will co-ordinate national policy and plan with relevant ministries to promote recognition of skills, abilities and employment opportunities for the disabled as well as assisting them to find jobs on an equal basis with normal persons.

Lawyer and Persatuan Orang Cacat Anggota member Tuah Atan welcomed the Bill.

It is a positive move by the Government and an official recognition that we are part of the community and deserve equal treatment.

It is now up to us to motivate ourselves to change our mindset,” he said at the Parliament lobby.

Atan was among the 50-odd disabled who turned up in Parliament for the tabling of the Bill .

Atan said it was up to the disabled community to remain united and speak in one voice.

If not, people will not listen and we will be wasting our time, he added.

Independent Living and Training Centre president Francis Siva and Persatuan Warga Istimewa and Rehabilitasi Anggota K9 founder Chong Tuck Meng also welcomed the tabling of the Bill.

However, both agreed that taking care of persons with disabilities should start in Parliament itself.

Wheel-chair accessibility in Parliament is still lacking and we had difficulties getting in. We hope this will improve once the Bill is implemented, said Siva.

Dewan Rakyat: Disabled to have better lives

nstonline

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Dewan Rakyat: Disabled to have better lives

By : V. Vasudevan and Eileen Ng

A NATIONAL Council for Persons with Disabilities will be set up once the Persons With Disabilities Bill 2007 is enforced.

Once in place, the council will play a pivotal role in the implementation of the national policy and national action of disabled persons and make recommendations related to their well-being, support, care, protection, rehabilitation and development.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil tabled the bill for its first reading yesterday. The bill is slated for a second reading next Monday.

"It is indeed a new era for the disabled community, their family and guardians," she said later in the lobby.

The bill seeks to provide for the registration, protection and rehabilitation, development and well-being of persons with disabilities.

In addition, the council will co-ordinate and monitor the implementation of a national policy and national action plan with relevant ministries and adopt effective measures to promote recognition of the skills, merits and abilities of the disabled.

"The council will also promote employment opportunities and career advancement for persons with disabilities in the labour market, as well as assistance in finding or obtaining employment on equal basis with persons without disabilities," the bill proposed.

Under the bill, a Register of Persons with Disabilities will be established, to be managed and administered by a Registrar General who will be appointed. The register will have all information on the disabled community and also the power to issue a "Kad OKU" (Disabled Person Card) to a person who is verified disabled.

The bill addresses some of the concerns raised by the disabled over access to public facilities, amenities, services and buildings to the disabled on equal basis as able-bodied people.

A similar provision is also provided in relation to public transport, pursuit of education, information and communications technology and cultural life.

On employment of disabled persons, the bill states that employers are to ensure that they are accorded just and favourable conditions of work and equal opportunities and equal remuneration for work of equal value as those persons without disabilities.

On health concerns of the disabled, the bill requires the government, private healthcare service providers and non-governmental organisations to make available essential health services to persons with disabilities.

It also places a duty on the private sector and NGOs providing institutional care for persons with disabilities to have in its employ speech therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists if deemed necessary by the minister.