APAC Lambasted By MBPJ Councillor

APAC Lambasted By MBPJ Councillor

APAC seeking cheap publicity

A RESIDENTS COALITION HAS COME UNDER FIRE FROM A LOCAL COUNCILLOR.

DATELINE: PETALING JAYA

THE ALL PETALING JAYA RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION COALITION or APAC has been taken to task for not taking responsibility for the conduct of one of its members under its sub-committee at a disabled seminar organised by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), last month.

Called, "Moving Forward, Keeping The Promise", the organising chairman and MBPJ Councillor, Anthony SB Thanasayan - who is also in charge of Section 52 where the seminar was held - had written a letter to APAC president Johan Tung on January 1st this year.

In it he strongly protested against the actions by Miss Bathmavathi Krishnan, a subcommittee member of APAC in a wheelchair who, together with three other persons also in wheelchairs, gatecrashed into the seminar that was held in PJ's Civic Centre on December 29, 2010.

Some of the mixed participants

Their purpose, he said, was to clearly try and derail the discussions with their very personal caustic criticisms and baseless arguments.

"Not only that, the subcommittee member took her wild concocted tirade of distortions and half truths about the MBPJ seminar to the media (see report below)," he told PET+BLOGSPOT yesterday.

He then went on to refute each one of them that were made in the newspaper.

His points were also included in his protest letter to Tung, he said.

Describing the complaints as "a mischievous attempt to discredit all the good work that MBPJ had initiated since (Thanasayan) became councillor in 2008" he said:

The speakers on disability were disabled themselves

A) Lie No 1: "The disabled were not invited to the seminar".

1) First and foremost; it is not only the organiser's prerogative to decide on the purpose and agenda of an event; but they also reserve the right to choose who they wish to invite as participants in order to meet the objectives of the event.

2) Second, the event was a closed-door affair and not for the public meeting.

3) Third, it was specifically targeted at the able-bodied community - NOT people with disabilities.

Its focus was on the present key stakeholders such as resident association leaders, heads of religious organisations and places of worship, architects, local councillors and their heads of departments - all who have the power and influence in their positions to make a qualitative difference in the lives of disabled persons.

The seminar was geared to educate them and get them talking about how they can play their parts in creating a barrier-free society.

B) Lie No 2: "APAC was not invited"

1) Tung was not only one of the first participants to be sent an invitation to but also the first to acknowledge receipt of the invitation.

Signing for Deaf particants

This was expressed personally to Thanasayan through the several calls made to him to confirm his attendance.

2) Tung was also briefed that the seminar was targeted at the non disabled only.

3) Tung who turned up at the event, took part in the floor discussions and publicly announced that APAC was pleased with the seminar.

C) Lie No 3: "The disabled were sidelined at the seminar."

1) This gives a cunning impression as if there were no disabled persons or their organisations present at the seminar at all.

There were in fact four officially registered disability societies at the seminar.

Two of them were the Dyslexic Association of Malaysia (PDM) and the Malaysian Animal Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (PETPOSITIVE).

Both of them are national based non profit NGOs from Kuala Lumpur.

The other two were the Society for the Interpreters for the Deaf or SID and the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) - a self help organisation run by people with disabilities themselves.

Both organisations are Wilayah and Selangor societies with the former based in KL and the latter in Rawang, Selangor.

All of them have disabled and elderly members living in the city of PJ as well as nationwide.

2) The speakers also came from the above organisations to express the views of the blind, Deaf, people with physical disabilities and the elderly at the seminar.

The speakers included a tetraplegic, an expert in the field of learning disabilities, a blind speaker and a Deaf.

There was also a carer for an elderly gentleman who was struck with stroke recently.

By contrast, the gatecrashers were only wheelchair users.

3) Each of the organisations are also council members of MBPJ's disability technical team that is responsible for their input in making PJ disabled-friendly.

4) Invitations were also given out to organisations that represent people with mental illness, People with Parkinson's, stroke and others who were unable to make it for the session.

D) Lie No 4: "The disabled were denied their right of say"

1) Each of the four gatecrashers not only got to speak at almost every session, and also at length, but they even tried to divert the flow of the discussions to bring up their petty and personal issues which should have been raised in another platform or to the departments directly responsible for them.

2) One of them used a vulgar term at the planning director at the seminar to run down MBPJ's award-winning disability projects.

3) Others tried potshots at the distinguished speakers for the day with accusations of hypocrisy to playing with ridiculous language semantics.

4) From feedback received afterwards, most of the participants including the speakers were totally put off by their conduct as well as that of APAC's.

Complaints about their conduct - as well as APAC's role in the incident - were made to Thanasayan before he took the matter up in writing with the association.

However, Thanasayan received a response from Tung four days later, brushing aside the incident and stating that the matter as far as they are concerned is "closed".

In a fresh reply to Tung on January 5, Thanasayan expressed his shock and disappointment with the APAC president's handling of the matter.

He wrote:

"From your response it is clear that APAC is only capable of operating on half-truths and downright lies just to get cheap publicity from the media.

"(It) is the lowest (rung of the ladder) that your organisation has nosedived to," he added.

"(I could never) work with APAC; as being unethical and totally irresponsible have never been the aims of achievements of my (character), work and mission," concluded Thanasayan.

Write to us. Tell us what you think. Was APAC right in handling the issue? Does APAC really represent all persons in PJ? What about the disabled? Does being disabled give one the right to do what one likes including gatecrash an event? Was it fair to bash the MBPJ when it seems to be the only council that is doing its best for the disabled?

PET+BLOGSPOT reserves the right to edit comments or to not print them. Please be polite and constructive in what you say. Thank you!

Click HERE for a previous story on the disability seminar.

The Malay Mail report:

All Petaling Jaya Residents Association Coalition

Disabled sidelined

Submitted by shaza on Thursday, December 30th, 2010

Associations cross with council's disregard for forum invites by A. Fuad Paiz

Thursday, December 30th, 2010 11:12:00

PETALING JAYA: Associations for the disabled felt sidelined by Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) as they were not invited to a forum yesterday on improving facilities for the group.

The "Real World Challenges and Opportunities for the Disabled" forum was held at Dewan Banquet MBPJ yesterday morning, commemorating World Disabled Day.

All Petaling Jaya Residents Association Coalition and Subcommittee for Elderly and Disabled Residents (APAC-SEDAR) chairman Bathmavathi Krishnan said the council denied them the right to have their say at the forum.

"Why did they not invite us? I was not informed until this morning when the resident association president from my area sent me an email regarding the forum. Only then did I drive to the venue."

She claimed the council had not invited disabled folk to avoid them "bashing" ordinary folk at the forum.
PJ councilor Anthony Siva Balan (pic), also the event organiser, brushed off Bathmavathi's allegations as a misunderstanding.

"Previously, MBPJ had organised a similar event for them. I would like to clarify this forum was only targeting able bodies to persuade them to join the council's efforts to provide the best amenities for the disabled."
He assured representatives of disabled people had been invited to the forum.

Bathmavathi, however, was unconvinced.

"We are part of residents living in Petaling Jaya. Therefore, they are obligated to invite us to this event. I saw a lot of empty seats. Why couldn't they just fill it with representatives from the the disabled society?"

The Malay Mail also found attendance at the forum was disappointing.

Echoing Bathmavanthi's statement, Damai Disabled Persons Association of Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan Malaysia (Damai) president V. Murugeswaran hoped the council would not repeat the mistake in future.

"It is a good idea to bring in the able-bodied to exchange ideas but the council should have known that we are the major players. It must keep us informed of these kind of events so we can give our input."

Thursday January 6, 2011

Give them a hand

Do your bit for the disabled and elderly.

IT may be almost a week into the new year but it is never too late to work on our resolutions for 2011.

Here’s a list to help you along, especially if you want to make a difference in the lives of the disabled and the elderly.

Some of them may take a little time and effort on our part. Others, however, are quite simple to accomplish; they call for consideration and kindness to our fellowmen. Here are some things that we can do:

In the home:

> Be a friend to a disabled or elderly person. Most people may not realise it but it isn’t easy to find friends when you have a handicapping condition. People who are not disabled may avoid persons with disabilities for a number of reasons. Some of them do so for reasons of awkwardness – they do not know what to say for fear of hurting the person with some insensitive remarks. Others just fear disabilities. And others still, do not like to be reminded that they themselves may become handicapped one day through illness, an accident or old age. It is important to remember that people with disabilities are just like any other person. Many disabled people, especially those living alone, would greatly benefit from having a friend.

> Offer to collect their medication or do their marketing when you do yours. Take an elderly person in a wheelchair for a stroll in the nearest park. If the park is not wheelchair-friendly, write a complaint letter to the local council and then follow up on it until the problem is fixed. You can also offer to help bathe a bedridden patient, especially if the caregiver is a woman and finds it a gargantuan task to get her loved one out of the bed. Other areas where you can help: help walk the dog, feed the cat or clean the aquarium.

In public:

> “Never park in a disabled car park if you are able-bodied unless you want to also take the disabled driver’s handicapping condition with you,” says a local council notice at a parking spot for the disabled.

> When you see a person in a wheelchair or on crutches trying to cross the road, stop your car. Try doing that some time and see how good it feels, especially when they give you a big smile of thanks afterwards.

> If you are in a packed lift in a shopping complex and notice a disabled person in a wheelchair waiting outside, offer him or her your space. Use the stairs instead. This actually happens often in countries outside of Malaysia – and frequently by people from such countries when they visit ours.

In government outfits:

> Can we please go back to the time when counters were set up for the disabled and elderly? They were a big help then but now even hospitals and buildings which used to have such counters, have done away with them.

> Can we have sign language interpretation for more programmes on RTM instead of only the prime-time news? And when are the other television stations going to follow RTM’s fine example and start making their news accessible to the Deaf?

> Let us not forget the blind. They need talking lifts (to tell them which floor they are at), equal access to automated bank teller machines, and tactile flooring (those yellow tiles with grooves that we see in some places). Let’s not forget that these need to be built inside the buildings as well as outside. It is most frustrating when you manage to find your way to a particular building, and then have no clue as to where the information centre, toilets or lifts are.

Have a great year ahead!

Dr Xavier And Dr Chandra At MBPJ Event To Tackle Disability Issues

Story & Pictures Courtesy from Petpositive

Monday, January 03, 2011

Dr Xavier And Dr Chandra At MBPJ Event To Tackle Disability Issues

Dr Chandra with Councillor Richard Yeoh as moderator

DATELINE CIVIC CENTRE, PETALING JAYA

(Pictures by PET+BLOGSPOT & MBPJ)

ALMOST THREE HUNDRED participants, most of them able-bodied, attended a first-ever seminar on disabilities held by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) here last Wednesday.

Dr Xavier: "More needs to be done for the disabled."

Called "Moving Forward, Keeping the Promise", the closed-door event was launched by YB Dr A Xavier Kumar, chairman of Selangor state's Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Caring Government Committee.

Shaking hands with aNt whilst Tuan Puasa looks on

In his speech, Dr Xavier praised MBPJ for its outstanding work for the disabled community. He called on other councils to follow their example.

Noordin Sopiee Professor of Global Studies at the Science University of Malaysia (USM) and PETPOSITIVE adviser Dr Chandra Muzaffar was the first to speak as a speaker at the seminar.

He touched on the need for humanity to be compassionate for those who had been marginalised by our society, namely the disabled and the elderly.

The VVIPs: Noraini (left) YB Haniza (right)

"It is very sad that religion has failed our community with all its meaningless rituals," said Dr Muzaffar. "It is time for us all to return to being compassionate for others," he added.

For respected local conservationist Jeffrey Phang it was imperative for our society to share the forests with everyone instead of some people.

Conservationist Jeffrey Phang

"The disabled and the older generation need to get into the forest too rather than just be spectators from the outside," he said in his passionate presentation.

He went on to point out a very regretful incident recently when funds set aside for disabled access in the Kota Damansara Community Forest was suddenly channeled to a non disabled project.

Phang is co-chairman of Friends of Kota Damansara (FoKD), a conservation group that fought for the gazettement of the Kota Damansara forest in PJ.

Dato Professor Dr Patrick Tan driving home the point.

Dato Professor Dr Patrick Tan from the University Malaya Medical Centre gave the sobering facts about how PJ was turning into an elderly society and appealed to all the planners and engineers of the city to prepare for this important new generation in the near future.

One of the most interesting sessions was the one featuring disabled persons and their caregivers as speakers.

Voices of the disabled

The physically disabled, Deaf, blind, a representative of persons with learning disabilities and a caregiver of an elderly man with stroke told of their courageous stories trying to live as a citizen with their conditions.

It was an unanimous outcome that all local councils need to do much more to integrate people with disabilities into the city.

Question/comment time from the floor

The full-day seminar was closed by Taman Medan assemblyman Haniza Talha.

"With such a good response, we are thinking of a repeat session sometime in the mid of 2011," said a beaming Anthony SB Thanasayan to PET+BLOGSPOT after the event.

"When it comes to doing disability work, there's always more and more awareness that needs to be created in order to create a barrier free society for the disabled." He concluded.

Apart from Petpositive, other NGOs that participated in the seminar as speakers were the Dyslexic Association of Malaysia, Sign Language Interpreters for the Deaf and Independent Living and Training Centre.

The seminar was held in celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities that fell on December 3, 2010.

A memorable year

Thursday December 30, 2010

A memorable year

IT’S TIME to say “So long” to another incredible year before welcoming a brand new one this weekend.

Let’s look back at some of the most exciting and memorable moments of this column.

I started the year by writing about the first anniversary of the death of my Rottweiler, Vai, which had succumbed to cancer. He was truly my hero as a personal service dog. Even now, nearly two years after his passing, I still miss him dearly.

Vai was largely responsible for turning my life around – from depression to positive living. He taught me everything I know about disability. Never let anyone put you down in your wheelchair – that was what Vai taught me during his 13 years with me. In his eyes, anyone in a wheelchair was “normal”.

Vai turned out to be the best psychiatrist, rehabilitation specialist and best friend that I ever needed to get on with life.

The year 2010 brought about a couple of noteworthy turn of events.

The first was a protest by a dozen handicapped people earlier this year at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) building in Kuala Lumpur.

We were mad over an incident in which a MACC senior officer directed a mocking remark at a lawyer in a wheelchair.

We were surprised and touched when a swift apology was graciously issued by MACC chief commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed in a letter the following day.

More recently, the Ipoh City Council (MBI) offered an apology when its dog catchers accidentally shot dead a therapy dog named “Spunk” which belonged to an elderly woman. The MBI has banned dog-shooting in the city and promised to set up a canine committee to handle the stray dog problem.

In March, psychiatrist Dr Andrew Mohanraj shared with us that although mental illness had been recognised as a disability in 2009, there was still a great need to understand and offer unflinching support to people who have the condition.

One of the first steps in doing so is to educate ourselves about the disease.

In April, the Malaysian Parkinson’s Disease Association signed a global declaration of People with Parkinson’s in front of 200 people, including their caregivers and supporters.

A few weeks ago, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil brought glad tidings when she said she would do everything she could to get people with Parkinson’s (PwP) officially registered as people with disabilities by early next year. This will enable the more than 15,000 PwP to qualify for free medical aid.

Numerous horror stories about buildings which are inaccessible to wheelchair users are featured in this column each year.

The worse was the KL Social Welfare Department on the ninth floor of Grand Seasons Avenue.

The toilets for disabled men and women in separate sections were too small and did not have proper fittings. Shower curtains were used as doors!

It was shocking that the disabled who visit the welfare department had to put up with this for years.

Prompt action was taken when this matter was highlighted in Wheel Power.

I visited the place again just before Christmas. Now the toilets are big enough for wheelchairs and there is a beautiful sliding door to provide privacy. Well done!

Last, but not least, blind golf, anyone?

Yam Tong Woo, 57, who lost his sight following a bacterial infection, shared how he picked up the pieces with the help of his family. Now he’s back to doing what he loves most – playing golf.

Just how on earth does he do it, you may ask. With the help of his wife who is his caddy. Yam was in Singapore during the last Raya holidays to take part in an inaugural golf tournament called the Handa Singapore Classic.

So when people tell you that you can’t do something because you are disabled, don’t you believe it. Just get out there and do it!

Happy 2011, everyone!

I am presenting a paper

Tomorrow, I am presenting a paper on – Cabaran Dan Peluang Di Alam Bina Bagi Orang Kurang Upaya “Moving Foward, Keeping The Promise” in conjunction with the International Day at December 29, 2010 at Dewan Banquet, Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya organised by Unit Bandar Sejahtera Jabatan Perancangan Pembangunan.

Disabled Mad About Exclusion From Kota Damansara Park

Disabled Mad About Exclusion From Kota Damansara Park

Friday December 24, 2010

Kota Damansara residents to form task force

By JASTIN AHMAD TARMIZI
jastin@thestar.com.my

(Pictures by Independent Living and Training Centre)

EIGHTY residents’ associations from the Kota Damansara constituency will be forming a task force to resolve specific problems in the area.

The task force will be a platform for the residents, Kota Damansara assemblyman Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim and the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to work together to solve problems in the area including those related to traffic, infrastructure, cleanliness, environment and safety.

“This task force will be tackling issues one at a time. However the main issue that we have identified now is safety. We can discuss what our priorities are and receive comments from the people on issues that need to be solved,” said Nasir at a press conference after the “Towards a Harmonious and Safer Community” held with Kota Damansara residents.

“Everyone has agreed to form this task force. All the residents’ associations will be sending a representative. With all the 80 residents’ associations we can work together to solve the problems in the area. With them, I think we have a very good team.”

“This will be a joint effort with the people so that they can be involved. It would not only be a dialogue session where residents complain but it will be a joint effort to get things done.

“Details of the task force will be finalised in our next meeting with the residents scheduled next month,” said Dr Nasir.

Anthony Thanasayan, a member of Malaysians Against Discrimination of the Disabled (MADD) and an MBPJ councillor, said they wanted more representation from the disabled community in the task force to make the town more disabled-friendly.

Meanwhile, the withdrawal of funds from a proposal to make a walkway for the disabled in Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve has drawn protests.

Anthony said they were being discriminated against as they were not consulted about the removal of the proposed walkway.

“They are not creating a park for everyone but only for some people. We the disabled are also people,” he said.

Independent Living & Training Centre president Francis Siva said that he was sad and disappointed that the walkway was not going to be built.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year 2011

Dear Friends,

Wishing all of you a festive season filled with Loving wishes and beautiful thoughts.

Please take care and stay safe!

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year 2011

From, Mr. Francis Siva

THE WORLD'S VERY FIRST HIP HOP WHEELCHAIR DANCE GROUP

Auti Angel and Briana Walker combined their talents to create THE WORLD'S VERY FIRST HIP HOP WHEELCHAIR DANCE GROUP! They have been inspiring everyone ever since...to Dance Anyway!

Thursday December 23, 2010

Room for caring

Practising what you preach.

UNTIL I read the story of the nativity all over again recently, I never realised how much people with disabilities could relate to Christmas.

And it wasn’t until I went through each amazing account in the Bible that the hidden truth suddenly dawned on me – from the angel announcing the conception of the child to being turned away at the cramped inn and finally to the blessed birth in a humble manger.

Even baby Jesus – who is the reason for this glorious season – knew exactly what it felt like to be unwanted and have no place in society.

“No room at the inn” was what his distraught parents were told as they frantically looked for a place to birth him.

“No room”, “no access”, “no ramps” and “no disabled toilets” are common phrases Malaysians with physical handicaps still hear today.

And yet, many of us don’t even flinch a muscle when we stand up and declare that Malaysia is a caring society.

Some of these most uncaring and unfriendly buildings are, ironically, churches and other places of worship that are supposed to stand as pillars in a caring society.

Although they speak about the disabled and the elderly often, and preach to their congregation about the importance of “love” and “the need to think of others”, their actions and architecture often tell a totally different story.

I was talking to a member of the board of a local church only last week about adding a wheelchair ramp and a disabled-friendly toilet when her response took me by surprise.

“Oh ye of little faith,” she said, as if quoting a passage directly from the holy book.

“You don’t need to use a wheelchair. Just come to our church and we’ll pray over you and you will walk again.

“You’ll become one of us, and then there will be no need for ramps or disabled toilets, Hallelujah!”

Years ago, another lady who was an elder in the local church which I used to go to told me the same thing.

She was the epitome of health, and anyone who got sick rushed to see her so that she could pray over them. Even those with permanent disabilities and terminal illnesses sought her prayers as they believed they would be healed.

We eventually lost contact, but out of the blue, I got a call from her.

Speaking to me on the other end of the telephone line was a totally different person. I hardly recognised her.

Her voice was weak and frail. It was clear that she was also extremely depressed.

And then she made the most astonishing revelation.

She told me that she – now in her 60s – was a disabled person, too.

She was told by a doctor that she had Parkinson’s disease.

In fact, the medical specialist had told her that she had had the insidious condition for several years but she was not aware of it.

Her first reaction, she said, was to reject it. She prayed, fasted and even went to other faith healers to shake it off.

But nothing worked. Only medication could slow down the effects of the disease.

When she started using a wheelchair, she lost her independence and she had to be cared for by a maid.

She lost her job and eventually all her friends too.

She found it difficult to manoeuvre around in her church as it has no ramps or wheelchair access.

She had to hold on to her weak bladder until she got home because it has no toilet for the disabled. Several times, she had embarrassing “accidents” in public.

She told me that she now realised what a terrible mistake she had made. “I should have fought for people like you then in the council, but I never dreamt that something like this could happen to me.”

I couldn’t believe that the woman, who was once hostile towards me, had now become my friend – albeit over phone conversations late into the night.

She wanted to learn as much as she could about disability. I, too, learnt so much from her and how she was coping in life until she passed away, six months later.

Physical handicaps are only one aspect for a caring society to consider. The blind, deaf, people with learning disabilities and those with multiple handicaps also deserve attention.

Then, there are other conditions that are brought on by heart attacks, stroke, diabetes and old age.

Will we open our doors to all these people in our lives? And what would happen if we too find ourselves looking for room at the inn one day and being turned away?

Merry Christmas from Wheel Power!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Disabled can seek govt jobs online, says PSC

By SARBAN SINGH

SEREMBAN: Disabled Malaysians seeking employment in the public sector have been told to apply online with the Public Service Commission (PSC) to speed up the government’s plan to reserve at least 1% of jobs for them.

Public Service director-general Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Abdullah said the disabled should state their status on their application.

“These are among several affirmative measures introduced by the government to ensure the disabled are considered for jobs in the civil service.

“The PSC must also ensure that all vacancies for jobs advertised online or through any other channel have a special section for the disabled,” he said in a circular.

The website of the PSC is www.spa.gov.my.

The disabled can apply for jobs in the top management group which is made up of the cream of the civil service, professionals and management as well as the support groups.

The disabled, he said, can seek assistance from the Welfare Department on how to apply for these jobs.

He said that to be considered for government jobs, the disabled must have registered with the department.

Although there are an estimated 2.7mil disabled Malaysians, only some 10% were registered with the department.

It is learnt that only the Welfare Department has achieved the government’s target to have at least 1% of its work force made of the physically or mentally challenged, blind, deaf or mute.

Abu Bakar said the PSC should ensure that the panel set up to interview disabled persons for such jobs had an officer from the Welfare Department or an officer who had experience dealing with the disabled.

He said Ministries should let the PSC know if there were jobs suitable for the disabled to make it easier for the PSC to place them.

Early Xmas party at Tesco Rawang

Early Xmas party at Tesco Rawang.

Selangor state government hosted an early Christmas party recently at Rawang, Selangor and there nearly 5000 people from Rawang participated.

They also had invited a few charitable organisations to the wonderful evening with its caring society.

ILTC were proud and delighted to be given an opportunity to participate this wonderful event.

ILTC members had a wonderful time at the live show and other performances.

There were plenty of foods. On the day, we had received donation from the Tourism Selangor.

The guests were also entertained by musical performances from several artistes as well as adult and children from the church.

Among the guests were YB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, YB Azmin Ali, YB. Dr. Xavier Jayakumar and Y.B. Tuan Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew.

During the Christmas Celebration President Francis Siva chatting with YB. Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim to possible ways to deliver some assistance for the disabled people in Malaysia.

The Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim urged the public, especially the younger generation, to have the determination to make Malaysia a better place.

He added that there was still plenty of room to deeper understanding among the races.

Today, children and adults have come here to enjoy the celebration together. This reflects the Malaysian spirit among the communities,” he said.

The ILTC was thankful for the positive role of the Selangor state government in giving to all walks of life an opportunity to experience the spirit of giving and sharing during the festive season.

In conclude this Christmas Greetings, let us share the spirit of joy and sharing, bring about love and peace to this world.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Disabled Cheated By Nature Group - Want Their Money Back

Story - Courtesy from Petpositive

Disabled Cheated By Nature Group - Want Their Money Back

PETPOSITIVE NEWSFLASH!

DATELINE: KOTA DAMANSARA COMMUNITY FOREST RESERVE, PETALING JAYA

NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOs) THAT REPRESENT THE DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY ARE FUMING.

THEY ARE CRYING FOUL OVER A SPECIAL FUND THAT WAS MEANT ORIGINALLY FOR HANDICAPPED ACCESS AT THE COMMUNITY FOREST HERE.

HOWEVER, THAT FUND AMOUNTING TO RM30,000 IS NOW BEING USED FOR A NON DISABLED CAUSE.

THE GROUPS ARE NOW DEMANDING THAT EVERY SEN OF THAT MONEY BE RETURNED SO THAT PLANS TO MAKE THE KOTA DAMANSARA COMMUNITY FOREST RESERVE (KDCFR) DISABLED-FRIENDLY CAN GO AHEAD.

"The disabled and elderly community who had been looking forward to explore the forest have not only been dealt with a great blow but also feel cheated by those responsible for the reallocation decision and it's only fair that they give the money back," said Anthony SB Thanasayan from MADDor Malaysians Against the Discrimination of the Disabled - a coalition of half a dozen NGOs for people with disabilities.

He said this during a press conference that was held at KDCFR this afternoon.

It was attended by Kota Damansara state assemblyman YB Dr Nasir Hashim and conservationist and leader of the KDCFR Jeffrey Phang.

The disability groups that were present included theMalaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association or PETPOSITIVE and the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC), a self-help NGO run by people with disabilities.

"The decision to divert the funds was most arbitrary to stay the least and far from the spirit of dialogue and consultation with the disabled community," pointed out Thanasayan who is also councillor for Petaling Jaya's Zone 13 area.

"The funding agency GEF-SGP's (Global Environment Facility - Small Grants Programme) project leader Justine Vaz confirmed the scrapping of the disabled trail, claiming that a 'better area' was in the pipeline but it is extremely arrogant and presumptuous to do things for the disabled without consulting with them first," he said to PET+BLOGSPOT after the press conference.

"Their action is not only discriminatory against people with special needs but also shows how totally ignorant they are about people with disabilities.

"Their workshop is a joke and a farce," he said referring to Monday's final stakeholders meeting the agency is coordinating with the Selangor Forestry Department.

Dr Nasir (in black) chatting with protesters

"What they are doing is going against everything that the PJ City Council (MBPJ) is doing to try and create a barrier-free environment with universal designs."

Thanasayan said that he had met Phang on a couple of occasions early this year to check out the park as well as to plan out the disabled-friendly pavements which MBPJ had expressed its interest to support.

Thanasayan who was invited to the workshop said he is boycotting Monday's workshop, fearing it to be a trap to get his indirect support for the exclusion of the disabled-friendly facilities.

"Even though a detailed list of disabled-friendly points was made available by me, no one had called or wanted to discuss the matter with me at any time," said Thanasayan.

"The KDCFR is excellent for the blind who though they can't see, are fully able to appreciate the rich sounds of the forest and the smells," pointed out Petpositive blind member Yam Tong Woo who took a stroll in the area with his wife.

"People should stop seeing the issue as a charity one but rather from a justice point of view - access to KDCFR is our human right," said tetraplegic Francis Siva, president of ILTC.

He was accompanied by his wife - also in wheelchair - Gurdip Kaur, a former local councillor for the Selayang municipality (MPS).

On his part Dr Nasir said he was upset over the non inclusion of the disabled facilities.

"We should stop segregating people and do everything we can to integrate with everyone," he said, adding that the disabled and the elderly should be given the same rights and privileges as anyone else.

Those who gathered at the press conference said that they are prepared to take up the matter to higher officials including the state's Chief Minister if the matter was not resolved.