A safe haven for the elderly

Friday July 31, 2009

A safe haven for the elderly
By CHARLES FERNANDEZ

FOR some, The Little Sisters of the Poor St. Francis Xavier Home for the elderly in Cheras may seem extravagant.

But in planning the new home, the Catholic Church saw the need to provide facilities, equipment and fittings suitable for the comfort, convenience and safety of the elderly residents.

The home is an epitome of love where nuns go about feeding, washing, bathing, cleaning and tending to the sick to ensure that those who are with them can live out the last years of their lives with dignity and comfort.

These women have been taking care of men and women in their twilight years who have little or no income and no family to take care of them. Caring: Sr Cecelia chatting with centarian Wong as Sr Marie Angela gets ready to take her out for a stroll.

“These people have led a hard life, many are in their twilight years who come from poor families or have no family to care for them,’’ said Sister Cecilia, sister-in-charge of the home.

The home was motivated by Jeanne Jugan who founded the Little Sisters of the Poor one winter evening in 1839 in St. Sevan, France.

She opened her heart and her home to an elderly, blind, paralysed woman who found herself all alone after the death of her sister. Jugan carried Anne Chauvin through the streets of their small town to her apartment and placed her in her own bed.

Soon another old woman followed, then a third and this was how the congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor, with its unique mission of hospitality to the elderly was born.

The Little Sisters of the Poor arrived in Kuala Lumpur in 1965 during the feast of St. Francis Xavier.

At the Cheras Home, voluntary doctors and dentists offer their services and many people have also taken an active interest in the residents’ welfare by taking them out for picnics, games or simply coming for a chat.

“We want to bring back to them the dignity that they have lost or have been deprived of. That is why in their new home they each have their own room with attached bathroom for better privacy,’’ added Sr Cecilia.

There are now 67 residents at the home. The oldest is centenarian Wong Lai Yong.

Wong has been at the home for the last 30 years when the Little Sisters of the Poor had their humble beginnings at a 16-room bungalow which once belonged to a Chinese millionaire, in the then Klang Road.

Many are bedridden, the more able ones sit about in the courtyard chatting away while some help the volunteers and nuns with the daily chores of preparing food in the kitchen and laying the tables for meals.

“There is no time to day-dream as there are various activities lined up for the residents each day,’’ said Sr Cecilia.

From Monday to Thursday, residents take part in Bible sharing, on Tuesday there is a 45-minute bowling session conducted by Paul Duane, an American who has volunteered his services beyond bowling lessons, physioteraphy every day and a 90-minute taichi lesson every Saturday.

“There is no feeling of being unwanted and abandoned as there is self-giving love for everyone.

There is a spawn of dedicated volunteers who care for the elderly with love and personal attention,’’ said Sr Cecilia.

Unlike the hundreds of old people who have been left abandoned by their children or next-of-kin in government hospitals and old folks homes throughout the country, the Little Sisters of the Poor has a mission — to provide constant maternal protection to those entrusted under their care.

The home is equipped with air-conditioning, lifts, full kitchen and laundry facilities, a physiotherapy department, doctor’s office and treatment room, pharmacy and dental clinic for the physical needs and comfort of the residents.

The home also has a proper chapel which conducts Sunday services, a separate multi-purpose hall, games room and a hair salon.

The St Francis Xavier’s Home for the elderly is at No. 3 Jalan 5/96, off Jalan Sekuci, Taman Sri Bahtera, 5th Mile Jalan Cheras, 56100 Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-9131 1464 ).

ILTC CHARITY BAZAAR - FOOD, FUNFAIR & CHARITY SHOW

On the 4th July ILTC organised a ILTC CHARITY BAZAAR – FOOD & FUN FAIR 2009:
(Together With A Blood Donation Campaign) at Padang Sekolah Kebangsaan Rawang.

The purpose is that we are raising funds for maintaining the training centre.
We had over 30 stalls ranging from a variety of food, toys, clothes, books, games, face paintings as well as selling ILTC products and also motor show. We had a colouring competition sponsored by Nestle Malaysia and two clown entertaining the children. We also had a with many fantastic prizes for games. There were lots of volunteers to help out with the stalls and we had a famous emcee to entertain everyone as well as made announcements.
There was a St Johns ambulance standing by just in case anyone needs medical attention.

We set up an information counter so that if anyone is interested to know more about ILTC we were able to answer their questions.
End of the day we made some money but we fail to achive our target

On the behalf of committee and staff I would like to thank all the volunteers, sponsors and friends for helping us sell coupons, sponsor products, and helping out at the Fun Fair. We could not have done it without all your support.
Thank you also to the organising committee who has work very hard to make this a successful event: Mr. Packya Narayanan, Mr. Krishna, Mr. A. Subramaniam, Ms. Santriga, Mr. Sathiah and Mr. Arasu

Proposal for the disabled to be 1% of private sector workforce

Published: Tuesday July 28, 2009 MYT 1:38:00 PM

Proposal for the disabled to be 1% of private sector workforce

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resources Ministry wants private sector employers to ensure that one percent of its workforce to be those with disabilities.

Deputy Minister Datuk Maznah Mazlan said Tuesday that the proposal would be forwarded to the Cabinet soon.

She said that the Government was already hiring people with disabilities but said that even the public sector had yet to fulfil the one percent quota.

“Only the Welfare Department has a 1.8 percent employment of disabled people. Other departments need to increase their employment of people with disabilities,” she said.

IVARGALUM HERO

ILTC President - Francis Siva will be featured in the program.

"IVARGALUM HERO"

Channel: Astro Vaanavil (201)

Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Time: 10:00:00 PM

Synopsis:Ivargalum hero is a lifestyle show featuring disables. Their daily life and moments of achievements will be featured in the show as an encouragement to the viewers.

ILTC SUPPORT FOR MBPJ

Disable friendly PJ pavement gets positively 'Madd' reviews

Disable friendly PJ pavement gets positively 'Madd' reviews
Emily Chow
Jul 16, 094:00pm
Efforts by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to turn the pavement along Jalan Gasing disabled friendly was lauded by a coalition of NGOs calling themselves Malaysians Against the Discrimination of the Disabled (Madd) today.

Madd has been advocating the rights and the needs of disabled people in Malaysia since 2007.

Present at today's gathering organised by Madd were a group of activists from several NGOs including the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (PETPOSITIVE), Independent Living and Training Centre, Pewira K9 and the Malaysian Association for the Blind.

"The purpose of this (gathering) is to show the public that we are here, as most people are still in denial about disabled people," said Anthony Thanasayan (left), PETPOSITIVE president.

"We also 'stand' together to support the MBPJ for what they have done (in rebuilding the pavement). We applaud them." he said.

Anthony was also a former MBPJ councillor."I raised the issue of making the pavement (along Jalan Gasing) more disabled friendly back then, and the construction of a 'universal design pavement' by MBPJ began a year ago." Anthony said.

The pavement stretches for about 500 meters from the row of shops along Jalan Gasing to the nearby Thai temple.

The pavement is still undergoing construction but is estimated to be completed iwithin two months.Universal design pavementAnthony later explained to reporters the characteristics of a 'universal design pavement' used by the MBPJ:

• has guiding blocks for the blind so they can walk about independently


• made for people in wheelchairs with the slightest of gradients as possible


• void of obstacles, including lamp posts and post boxes

"It is a pavement that is for everyone to use, not just the disabled. Everybody includes the able- bodied, the disabled, mothers with prams, pregnant women, children and the elderly," he said.

Anthony also brought up the issue of criticism levelled at the pavement project which was said to be too costly and estimated at RM180,000."They (the public) asked 'Where are the blind? How many blind use this?'

The public is still going through a process of denial as they are afraid to admit these disabilities exist.

"It's time for the public and our government to stop giving excuses and start addressing this issue.

We demand today that they (MBPJ and all the other local councils) start making disabled friendly pavements instead of feeling sorry for us," said Anthony.

"It doesn't help us at all, it just destroys us. Stop this attitude of charity. Treat us like equal people, for we also want to have a right to go out." he added.

Finally, a start

After speaking to reporters, the group of activists then 'wheeled' their way down the disabled friendly pavement.
Gurdip Kaur Rina, a former Selayang district councillor and activist Antony Leopold from PETPOSITIVE praised the project as it is said to be the first such sidewalk in the country with this universal design.

"It's a good start that we are all here, and we hope that the other councils will take this as an example.

We do this to highlight to the government that they have to include this type of facility for the disabled." said Rina.

Making Jalan Gasing disabled-friendly

Friday, July 17th, 2009
disabled-friendly walkway along Jalan Gasing
A ramp provided for mobility brings them cheer
Pauline Almeida

FREEDOM: The disabled are grateful that shops and bus stops are now more accessible to them in PJMALAYSIANS Against Discrimination of the Disabled (MADD) have praised the Petaling Jaya City Council forconstructing a disabled-friendly walkway along Jalan Gasing.

"We are very grateful that the council will provide us with this accessibility. It was like the fight from day one that has finally paid off. The 450-metre pavement is being built along the road," said Stanislaus Anthony, the Rukun Tetangga Seksyen 3 committee member in charge of security. "Even though this walkway is partially completed, we know it's going to make our lives a bit easier," said Anthony Siva Balan Thanasayan, the vice-president of Support Group Society for the Blind of Malaysia, a MADD member.

Asked how the walkway would affect their lives, sports executive of the Malaysian Association for the Blind Muhammad Fairuz Abdullah said: "Nobody wants to be disabled, so by building the walkway with a universal design, we can move around just like able bodied people.

"Sometimes it's hard getting out of the house simply because there is no one to take us to the place we want to go. But that's going to change," he added.

According to council engineering director Ismail Shafie the project started in September last year and was to be completed in February.

However, due to some unforeseen technical problems construction will only be completed later this month.

"The initial plan was to upgrade and maintain the previous walkway and to provide a walkway for the public. But at the request of disabled people, we believed that it would be better if we installed tactile guiding blocks. The blocks are a safety guide for the disabled, mainly the blind, as it indicates how far they are from the curb.

"The tactile guiding blocks are installed in the middle of the walkway," he said. In 2007, the council startedbuilding universal design pavements in Section 52.

"The pavements link the council headquarters to Menara MBPJ. And for any development approved after 2007, developers are urged to install ramps, railings and curbs to make it easier for the disabled to move aroundwithout endangering them," he added.

The project is expected to cost RM2 million.

Universal design pavement is for everyone's benefit

Universal design pavement is for everyone's benefit

2009/07/17
Sheila Sri Priya T. Anthony says the disabled don't need sympathy but help

PETALING JAYA:A group of disabled people has hit back at the critics of the universal design pavement being built in Jalan Gasing.

Calling the RM180,000 pavement a move in the right direction, they described it as a long-overdue necessity.“The disabled don’t need sympathy, they need help.

In the past, we had to fight for job opportunities and the right to use public transport,” said former Petaling Jaya councillor, T. Anthony, who led the group of over 20 disabled people to view the pavement and speak up on the importance of having such facilities.

“But the key problem remains — access for the disabled. The disabled don’t just go to the hospitals, they have lives to live.

“Every year, children are born with disabilities and people do meet with accidents and become disabled, so it is good to start thinking universally,” said Anthony.

The group included two former councillors who are disabled, and parents of disabled children, who all agreed that there should be more public amenities built based on the universal design concept that is suitable for everyone.

They are members of Malaysia Against the Discrimination of the Disabled, which is a coalition made up of Independent Living and Training Centre, Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Pet Positive) and Perwira K9 Malaysia.

Anthony and other the group members urged the public to support Petaling Jaya City Council’s effort to build the universal design pavement, believed to be the first of its kind in Malaysia.

It was recently reported that some quarters were not happy with the amount spent on the 500 metre-long pavement.

“Universal design means it is for everyone and not just the disabled’s use. So I don’t understand what the fuss is all about,” said Anthony, who is also the president of Pet Positive.

Firdaus Mohd Nazar, who became a paraplegic after a road accident three years ago, agreed.“I am 24 years old and work as a clerk. I would love for the country to be equipped with facilities for the disabled,” said Firdaus.

Ahmad Daniel Mohd Sharani, 33, a writer who lives in Ara Damansara, added.“We have to start somewhere and Petaling Jaya is leading by example.

Instead of criticising and mocking a noble project, why can’t public be more supportive?”

Former Selayang councillor, Gurdip Kaur said she had set up a committee for the disabled in the Selayang Municipal Council. She added that more needed to be done for the disabled.

Mohd Ramli Abdullah, 49, from a Felda settlement in Pahang, said the rights of the disabled had long been neglected.

“People are generous with their sympathy but fail to provide us with basic facilities. They say we are asking for too much. I think The public should stop being cruel to us.”

Most of us are forced to own a car because there’s no way for us to walk as the pavements are not disabled-friendly,” he said.

Disabled community shows support for new pavement

Friday July 17, 2009

Disabled community shows support for new pavement
By FAZLEENA AZIZ

ABOUT 20 disabled people (PWDs) gathered to show their support for the new pavement along Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya.

The pavement along the 500m stretch of road was a pilot project for barrier-free access in PJ.

Easier for the disabled: Thanasayan leading the way in support of the new pavement.

It was upgraded at a cost of RM180,000, including railings and covering up of the drains.

Former Petaling Jaya city councillor Anthony Thanasayan said people should stop being in denial
over the needs of the disabled.

He said people should not politicise the issue but support them.

“The earlier pavement was a waste because even the non-disabled were not able to use it.

“We also want to show them that we exist and have rights as a tax-paying citizens,” he said.

He also said all the councils in Selangor should emulate MBPJ’s facilities instead of making a mess like in Kuala Lumpur.

The All-Petaling Jaya Residents Associations Coalition (APAC) had expressed their disapproval over the council’s bad planning in the construction of the pavement.

They had said that the PJ New Town was already a model for barrier-free facilities and questioned the need for another model for road pavements along Jalan Gasing.

Councillor: Residents have different disabilities

Wednesday July 8, 2009

Councillor: Residents have different disabilities

KUALA KUBU BARU: The public lacks understanding on the different disabilities suffered by residents at the Taman Sinar Harapan welfare home, said Petaling Jaya City Council councillor Anthony Thanasayan.

“These are specific disabilities, such as autism or speech disability. You can’t treat them the way you treat healthy people,” he told reporters after visiting the shelter home here with Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil yesterday.

He said there were specific needs to be attended to and hence, special ways of dealing with them.

Thanasayan, who writes the “Wheel Power” column in The Star, believes that the residents should have their conditions re-evaluated.

“They either should not be here or that there should be specific programmes designed to help them.

“As a disabled 49-year-old, I’m very concerned,” he said.

Thanasayan said the responsibility of taking care of the disabled has always been passed to the Social Welfare Department.

“But the department can’t do this alone,” he said.

He described the Government’s decision to improve the quality of treatment for the residents as a giant step forward.

“What has happened should not have happened. However, I can see that the staff here treat them with love and care. All we need is to set a standard and enforce it,” he added.

Thanasayan said drug prescription for the residents should be done by government doctors.
He hoped that Malaysians would pay attention to the plight of other disabled people, too.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. What about parents who have disabled kids at home who are facing the same problem?” he added.

Only nine disabled folk land jobs through Welfare Dept

Wednesday July 8, 2009



Only nine disabled folk land jobs through Welfare Dept

ONLY nine disabled people have found jobs through the Welfare Department, said Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.

She said as of May this year, 431 disabled people had registered themselves with the department to look for jobs.

“The public sector allocates 1% of its jobs to the disabled,” she told Prof Datuk Dr Ismail Md Salleh.

Chew said the department was also upgrading its registration system to electronically issue the disabled with cards.

She said an advocacy programme for the Persons with Disabilities Act had also been put in place to focus on the accessibility of buildings and public places for the disabled.

“A national council for the disabled was also set up in July last year to supervise the implementation of policies and action plan,” she said.

Chew said that among others, the Govern­ment had received various suggestions on issues relating to the disabled, such as support service, care, shelter and rehabilitation.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong told Wan Ramlah Wan Ahmad that the ministry found it difficult to post male teachers to remote areas.

“There is a lack of male teachers in certain options but at the same time, schools in rural areas need teachers in these subjects. There are too few male teachers,” he said

Challenging job

Thursday July 9, 2009



Challenging job
WHEEL POWER WITH ANTHONY THANASAYAN

The challenges of a city councillor are many and varied.

MY job as a councillor for the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) came to a halt on June 30. At the time of writing this article, I do not know if I will be picked again to serve another term.

Whatever the case, Tuesday last week was one filled with mixed emotions. I was sad to say goodbye to all the wonderful friends I have made at the local municipality. They include people from the top right down to those at the frontline. All of them have been very helpful to me.

Whether it is attending to a resident’s need or getting the door in front of me or the lift, it is always nice to be greeted with a friendly smile or a polite handshake.

I have learnt so much as a councillor. For one, you learn to see life and its problems from a totally different perspective.

As a leader of an NGO, I’ve had my share of battles with municipalities in the past. Some of them had not been very pleasant.

But I never realised that sometimes solutions can’t come about in the way we expect them to.

Especially in cases where there are other people and factors to consider instead of just one particular group or two.

It is at times like these that the responsibilities of a councillor can be challenging, frustrating and even depressing.

Having said that, though, the past 12 months has been an encouraging one for disabled and elderly residents in Petaling Jaya.

The disabled in Petaling Jaya were given free medical treatment at MBPJ’s clinic. This is a welcome relief for the handicapped who may otherwise have to wait in long queues at government hospitals.

To celebrate International Disabled Day in December, a disabled car park complete with a roof was launched to provide extra protection for the handicapped. The 150 car parks that will be built in stages throughout the city. They will be available free of charge.

I had the honour of setting up and chairing a special committee of experts who sit in a monthly disability technical committee to chart out barrier-free plans for the city.

The group comprises a medical doctor and a team of disabled persons with a mix of handicaps.

This is important for the representation of a diverse range of issues affecting the handicapped.

All new buildings in Petaling Jaya had to come to us first with their disabled-friendly blueprint.

Once our input is given, it will then proceed to the relevant bodies in MBPJ for final approval.

With the help of the planning and engineering department, we have come up with a revised standard for up-to-date disabled-friendly toilets for all buildings as well as new guidelines for homes for the elderly to ensure that the needs of all are taken into consideration.

Perhaps the most exciting of all the disabled-friendly facilities in Petaling Jaya is the universal design pavement that can be used by everyone, including the elderly, the blind, the physically disabled, and even mothers with prams.

The 500m-stretch along Jalan Gasing will be completed before long.

As I wheeled myself up on the pavement last Sunday, I was overcome by emotion. I had never been happier in my life.

For the first time in my 30 years as a wheelchair resident in PJ, I was able to access a user-friendly and safe pavement.

Welcome to a new Petaling Jaya!

Ministry forms panel to improve service at shelter homes

Wednesday July 8, 2009

Ministry forms panel to improve service at shelter homes

KUALA KUBU BARU: A committee will be formed to raise the competency level in government-run shelter homes in the country and in the provision of care for the disabled, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

She said the committee would find ways to improve the current state of service and equip the departments involved with the necessary expertise and technology in treating and caring for those who need special care at the homes.

“I will personally spearhead the committee along with my ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir and people from the Welfare Department,” Shahrizat said when visiting the Taman Sinar Harapan shelter home here yesterday.

She said that among others, the committee was also expected to discuss ways and methods on the training of welfare officers and the improvement of conditions at shelter homes.

Up close and personal: Shahrizat greeting one of the young residents at the Taman Sinar Harapan shelter home Tuesday.

The minister also suggested that Suhakam and the Bar Council form a special task force and volunteer at the home for a month for hands-on experience before filing their official report to the authorities.

Although she admitted that shelter homes could do with more staff, Shahrizat said that increasing the number of welfare officers was not a long-term solution.

“What we need is a new methodology and a paradigm shift in the system and to move forward with a new mentality,” she said, stressing that the community played an important role in understanding and providing care for the disabled.

“All I want to know is, where are the families of the patients here? They have made this into a place to dump or abandon their own disabled family members, whom they can’t cope with anymore.

“They have to be more involved in caring for them,” she said, adding that the Government was open to any suggestion and help, particularly foreign expertise on the methods of caring for the disabled.

Shahrizat said it was also time for change, adding that she had been dissatisfied with the current standard of care for the disabled and the condition of shelter homes.

“I’m not going to play the blame game or point fingers at this stage. What really needs to be done is that everyone should come and put our heads together in resolving the issue,” she said.

Shahrizat said the caregivers involved had also given their best as they were not experts in handling the disabled, especially the mentally challenged.

Welfare Department deputy director-general (operations) Halijah Yahaya, who was present, denied that cough syrup had been given as sedative to the residents.

Faizah: They constantly attacked one another and staff

Tuesday July 7, 2009

Faizah: They constantly attacked one another and staff
By YUEN MEIKENG and ZALINAH NOORDIN

PETALING JAYA: The 40 aggressive residents at the Taman Sinar Harapan welfare home in Kuala Kubu Baru were segregated from others because they constantly attacked one another and even the staff members.

Women, Family and Community Develop- ment Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir said the 30 men and 10 women among the 220 residents had mental disabilities with aggressive tendencies and were separated due to their destructive behaviour to themselves and others. They tear off clothing put on them and blankets are torn to shreds within hours. The remaining 180 residents are bedridden,” she said in a statement.

She added that the home had been operational since 1984 and was the only Taman Sinar Harapan institution out of seven which catered to the severely mentally and physically disabled people aged above 15.

“The attendants at the home have been given basic skills training on how to manage the residents under their care and refer those who are aggressive or need medical attention to the nurses or to the hospital for treatment,” Faizah said.

She added that there was no resident doctor or psychiatrist at the Kuala Kubu Baru home or in any of the other Taman Sinar Harapan shelter homes in the country.

She pointed out that most residents have been abandoned by their families and would have to remain institutionalised for the rest of their lives.

“Caring for and managing people with severe multiple disabilities is challenging and we have to address the multiplicity of the needs and issues involved,” she said, adding that such needs included skilled and qualified personnel in therapy, health and nutrition and the need to work in a multi-disciplinary team approach.

She said the Social Welfare Department welcomed medical and mental health experts who can make a significant difference to the quality of life of residents in Taman Sinar Harapan.

The Sri Sai Baba Centre volunteers, who go to the home every Sunday to clean and feed the residents, said the condition of the centre was better compared to previous times.

A volunteer who wished to be known only as Ravi said he had been volunteering at the institution for the past 10 years.

“This place used to be much worse in the past with residents sleeping on the cement floor and parts of their body covered in dried faeces. It was not as organised as it is now,” he said.

Another volunteer who wanted to be known only as Vasu said: “It’s good that the matter is highlighted. At least now their plight is known and maybe their lives will change after this.”

Suhakam to lodge complaint over mistreatment

Monday July 6, 2009

Suhakam to lodge complaint over mistreatment
Reports by LESTER KONG, YUEN MEIKENG, ZALINAH NOORDIN and DESIREE TRESA GASPER

JOHOR BARU: Suhakam will visit the Taman Sinar Harapan home in Selangor and forward a formal complaint on the mistreatment of the home’s residents to the authorities.

Commissioner Datuk N. Siva Sub- ramaniam said Suhakam would also talk to visitors to the home and get a clearer picture of the situation.

“Everyone deserves to be treated humanely, even those who are mentally unwell,” he said when commenting on the condition of the Taman Sinar Harapan home residents in Kuala Kubu Baru.

He said besides it being demoralising to treat residents like animals, the environment itself was not conducive for the patients who could not speak up for themselves.

Siva Subramaniam said Suhakam, which had received a verbal complaint about the home two days ago, was particularly concerned over the well-being of the children there.

“Feeding them cough syrup to keep them docile is terribly wrong as children should be treated with extra care,” he said, expressing his shock at both the quality of the food served there and the ratio of employees to the number of residents.

Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) councillor Anthony Thanasayan said the mistreatment of the residents reflected on how clueless the centre’s staff members were on the rights of the disabled.

“This case may only be the tip of the iceberg.

The Government should thoroughly check both private and public welfare centres whether they provide basic needs such as the right to be treated properly,” he said, adding that untrained welfare workers should not be allowed to care for disabled patients.

Independent Living and Training Centre president Francis Siva called on Social Welfare Department director-general Datuk Meme Zainal Rashid to resign from her position.

“We just want a good quality of life with the basic necessities,” Francis said.

Mismanagement And Abuse Of Taman Sinar Harapan Inmates Intolerable: Sec-Gen

July 06, 2009 00:19 AM

Mismanagement And Abuse Of Taman Sinar Harapan Inmates Intolerable: Sec-Gen

By: Ramjit

KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 (Bernama)-- The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development is gravely concerned and will not tolerate any mismanagement and abuse of residents at Taman Sinar Harapan, Kuala Kubu Baru (TSH KKB).

The ministry's Secretary-General Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir in a statement Sunday said that the attendants at the shelter were not medical attendants but providers of basic care like bathing, clothing and feeding them."They are not medical attendants like those in hospitals.

Nevertheless, they do their best to residents under their care at any one time," she said.

They have also been given basic training skills to manage residents under their care and refer those who were aggressive or who needed medical attention to nurses or hospitals for treatment or rehabilitation, she added.

Faizah said the institution founded on Jan 4, 1984, was one of the seven institutions under the Department of Social Welfare, catered for providing shelter, care, rehabilitation and training for the disabled.

However, TSH KKB is the only one taking care of those who have severe mental disorder, disabled and untreatable, above the age of 15. The total number of staff manning the institution is 114, with 84 attendants caring for residents, working on three 8-hour shifts.

The institution also has two nurses and two physiotherapists, she said.

The total number of residents in TSH KKB is 22O, of which 18O are bedridden and the rest, 30 male and 10 female, are those with aggressive tendencies.

"They tear off clothing provided for them and blankets are torn to shreds within hours and constantly attacked each other and even the staff.

"They are segregated because of their destructive behavior to themselves and others. Only five percent of them have visitors while the rest have been abandoned by their families and will have to remain institutionalized for the rest of their lives," she said.

She added that the Department of Social Welfare was very grateful to the many volunteers who have been spending their free time with residents at TSH KKB and welcomed others such as medical and mental health experts who can make a significant difference to the quality of life of residents in Taman Sinar Harapan.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil had earlier today directed the ministry to prepare an immediate in-depth report on the matter.

The minister who is currently in Manik Urai, Kelantan, said she would look into the plight of the inmates of Taman Sinar Harapan in Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor, some of whom were reported to be living in deplorable conditions.

She said she would visit the centre soon and help to improve the conditions, especially for the old and handicapped.

A local English newspaper today reported that the TSH KKB, a government-run shelter home for disabled has instead become a 'horror home' as it claimed that about 30 men from 200 residents comprising men, women and children were naked, chained up and caged.

BERNAMA

‘Ray of hope’ that turned out to be a nightmare

Sunday July 5, 2009



Ray of hope’ that turned out to be a nightmare

KUALA KUBU BARU: We were hit by the stench of faeces and urine the minute we walked into the men’s block at Taman Sinar Harapan located in a secluded area of the town here.

Mr A, a volunteer from a non-governmental organisation who goes to the home every Sunday to clean and feed the residents, opened the locked door at the back of the block and we were stunned by what greeted us.

About 30 stark naked men were inside the room, either lying down or sitting on the wet marble floor. In one part of the room, we saw a pool of blood, still fresh and red, on the floor.
Half of the men were locked behind bars like animals in a zoo while the others were able to move about in the front portion of the room. Those in the “jail cells” were segregated so that they would not harm their non-violent roommates.

“Those who are accidentally placed inside the cells with the more aggressive residents would be beaten or abused,” the volunteer revealed.

Most of them looked no older than 50 but they were just skin and bones and some looked extremely frail. One resident was lying on his stomach on a wooden bench and had passed motion; we almost gagged at its stench.

Fans were installed inside the room for better ventilation but that was the only luxury the men had. There were no beds, no toilets and not even blankets to keep them warm on cold rainy nights.

Those who were not in the “jail cells” were given beds but without any mattresses or pillows.

They were, however, chained to the bed frame with metal chains and a steel lock.

We were told by a volunteer that they were restricted to prevent them from hurting themselves. The volunteer also shared that the men were not given any clothing as they had used their shirts to strangle themselves or the other men in the past.

After a briefing by Mr A, we got down to work. We were put in charge of spreading mats and towels on the floor.

The volunteers were all given different tasks. A group of about six or seven men were in charge of bathing the locked-up residents, the women were in charge of preparing the food and feeding the residents while the rest (there were two children in the volunteer group) were in charge of cleaning up the place and washing their clothes.

The residents were hosed down with water and soap by volunteers dressed in construction boots and a water proof apron.

After that, the male volunteers carried the naked men to the front part of the building for us to towel dry them.

After sensing our discomfort, a female volunteer nearby said: “It’s okay, they’re just like babies, you know, they don’t know anything.”

We proceeded to wipe them dry one by one before we were told to feed them with the yong tau foo bought by one of the volunteers.

The food was mashed to bits and mixed with soup to minimise the need to chew and to make feeding an easier task. so that the residents only needed to swallow them.

As we fed them, some ate obediently while others were greedy and stuffed their hands inside the bowls to take out larger portions of the food.

Some volunteers reprimanded the greedy ones who crawled towards the table to help themselves to more food.

We noticed that some of the mentally disabled residents liked to hit themselves repeatedly. When we tried to stop them, they would fight back or just hit their body against the floor.

Mid-way through feeding, some volunteers suddenly rushed over to a young resident whose head was bleeding profusely. We were told that the boy had slipped and fell.

The volunteers immediately dressed him up, put him on a wheelchair and sent him to a hospital nearby.

After mopping the floor, we took a break and noticed that the residents were taken back into their cells to be locked up again.

It was nearly 4pm when everything was done. The residents were all bathed, fed and the place was clean enough.

We asked the volunteers what would happen to the residents on weekdays when the group was not there to offer their help.

The naked truth: Some of the inmates who were caged up in the home.

“The caretakers don’t do much. There are only two of them while there are 50 residents. If it’s time to feed them, they would just walk one round with a bowl and feed whoever wants to eat.

Those who don’t are left alone,” answered a volunteer.

She divulged that another charitable organisation had brought food for the residents but it was thrown away.

“When the group asked why they did such a thing, the caretakers said that the residents would create a bigger mess if there was more food because they would defecate more often,” she said.

After the voluntary group had left, we stayed back to check out the other blocks.

The women’s wing looked cleaner and did not smell as bad but a handful of the women were seen walking about in the nude.

The two caretakers stationed at the block were seen watching TV and chatting.

We noticed that the women’s clothes were laid out to dry on a dirty floor caked with fungus. We walked over to the children’s block which seemed to be the best kept part of the home. It was decorated and there were proper beds. But the children were curiously quiet.

A volunteer claimed that the children were fed with cough syrup so that they would be sleepy and docile.

A govt-run shelter for the disabled has, instead, become their jail

Sunday July 5, 2009

A govt-run shelter for the disabled has, instead, become their jail
By YUEN MEIKENG and ZALINAH NOORDI

KUALA KUBU BARU: About 30 men, naked, some chained up, caged and covered in their faeces and urine – that is the scene inside locked rooms at the Taman Sinar Harapan home here.

Following a public tip-off via an email from London, The Star’s probe team went undercover to the government-run shelter that is tucked away behind the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital and next to a golf course.

The home has about 200 residents comprising men, women and children, some of whom are mentally disabled and infirmed. What goes on within the four walls is shocking, and visits to individual rooms reveal even more horror – residents, young and old, naked and confined in cages.Caged life: An inmate crawling on the floor, hardly aware of his naked existence at the Taman Sinar Harapan home in Kuala Kubu Baru. — SAM THAM / The Star

Equal standing

Thursday July 2, 2009




Equal standing
WHEEL POWER WITH ANTHONY THANASAYAN

The disabled deserve the same rights as the able-bodied.

I WAS delighted to be invited to speak on social justice and people with disabilities at a two-day seminar organised by the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur last week.

There were three other speakers. Their focus was on children and the elderly, indigenous communities and foreign or “guest workers” in Malaysia.

In my talk, I pointed out to the audience which was made up of mostly professionals, that it was essential to have a proper understanding of disability before one can start to tackle the issue of social justice. Another key consideration is the person affected by disability.

Judging from the nods from the audience, I was glad that I managed to drive home the point that disability is everyone’s issue. Common diseases like heart attack, cancer and diabetes can lead to handicapping conditions. Disability not only affects us but also our loved ones, friends, colleagues and employers.

Once we understand this, we will be in a better position to discuss the issue of social justice when it comes to Malaysians with disabilities.

This was the main reason why I, as an MBPJ councillor, embarked on a project recently to build a universal design pavement along a 500m stretch of Jalan Gasing in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

In keeping with international and local standards, the design includes tactile markings on the floor to help the blind get around.

The pavement will also be wheelchair-friendly. Mothers with prams, pregnant women and the elderly will be able to walk on it safely.

The unique design will prevent cars from accessing the special pavement. Street furniture will also be removed for unimpeded access.

If proven successful, the design will be used in all of Petaling Jaya’s pavements.

I was saddened by certain quarters who rushed to criticise the project even before it was completed.

Someone asked if a “proper study” was done to see if there were disabled people in the area. The argument implies that disabled people are only found in a certain part of town. This kind of thinking clearly stereotypes people with disabilities.

I have seen elderly persons with walking sticks going to the local shops, park, church or temple.

And on every occasion they chose to walk on the road and court danger instead of on the pavement.

The reason they avoid the pavements is obvious. It is too high for them to negotiate. The pathway also narrows down suddenly next to large open drains.

I guess the lesson here for all of us is to stop labelling and stereotyping the disabled in our community.

It this attitude that has kept them locked away from society.

Let us never forget that they are people like us. And they are entitled to the same rights and privileges as citizens. The best thing we can do for them is to offer our unflinching support.