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.

Malaysian Disabled Persons Act

IT'S BEEN CONFIRMED!

Malaysia's first Disabled Persons Act is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament on Monday 10th December 2007.

The Journey Has Just Begun For Mr. Jeyaraj & Bavani

Mr. Jeyaraj got married (ILTC Committee Member) on 6th December 2007 at Mariaman Temple Taiping. 12 ILTC members attended.

ILTC wishing you a jingling married life.

Your joyride just begun......

May the melody of your wedding bells
Keep chiming in your life forever!

Loving one another for eternity....!!

God Bless Both of You....

Malaysia To Sign UN Convention On Rights Of Disabled

General

December 04, 2007 23:38 PM

Malaysia To Sign UN Convention On Rights Of Disabled

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Disabled, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said today.

She said the Cabinet had agreed to the ministry's request for Malaysia to sign the convention.She, however, added that ratifying the convention by Malaysia would take a little bit more time. "So, we must make preparations for the ratification. Once ratified, Malaysia is bound by the convention."Shahrizat said among others, the convention provided for the right of the disabled to have equal rights to the law, the right not to be discriminated against due to their disabilities, the right to own and inherit property, and the right to education, health services and facilities, and employment.She said the theme,

"Together Developing Human Capital Among the Disabled", was chosen for this year's Disabled Day celebration, to stress on the importance of providing equal opportunities for the disabled in various spheres of life.

"The ministry, with the cooperation of non-governmental organisations and other sectors, will help to build a new era for the disabled, including setting up a centre of excellence for them soon," she said at the Disabled Day celebration held at the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, near here.

The first cerebral palsy person to receive a doctorate in this country, Dr Ng Chee Kyun, was bestowed the "Excellent Disabled Person" award at the function, while Vacuumschnmelse (M) Sdn Bhd received the "Most Caring Employer" award and PDK Perbikat in Bintulu, the "Best Community Rehabilitation Centre for the Disabled" award.Also awarded were places with disabled-friendly facilities, namely the One Utama Shopping Centre, Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort in Kota Kinabalu, DiGi Telecommunications headquarters in Shah Alam and the Subang Jaya Municipal Council building.-- BERNAMA

The disabled want equal opportunities in jobs, basic rights

The Sun online : WEB EDITION :: Local News

The disabled want equal opportunities in jobs, basic rights by S. Tamarai Chelvi

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 03, 2007): The disabled want equal opportunities to decent jobs and legislation to better protect their rights.

N. Surendran, the legal adviser for the Malaysian Coalition Against Discrimination of Disabled Persons (MADD), said: "We are not asking for unreasonable things. We are only asking for basic rights."

He said this to about 30 disabled persons, some on wheelchairs, gathered at the Bangsar LRT station yesterday, in conjunction with the UN’s International Day of Disabled Persons today. The theme this year is "Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities". The disabled are selling tissues paper at a corner. Why can’t they get a job instead of ending up selling tissue paper?" he asked.

The gathering was organised by several organisations representing the disabled, including MADD, Petpositive, Independent Living and Training Centre and Support Group for the Blind of Malaysia.

They called for equal rights and legislation to protect the disabled, in employment, education, health, transport and accessibility, and for a commission to oversee the implementation of the legislation.

They also urged the government to make Malaysia a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Anthony Thanasayan, chairman of The Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive), said the majority of the disabled had no jobs or faced difficulty finding decent jobs.

He said there was a lack of certain support systems, such as proper education or training opportunities in employable skills, accessible transportation to get to work and accessible workplaces.

He said some disabled persons, who were shortlisted in job applications were asked at the interview why they did not declare that they were disabled.

He added that some were paid less than able-bodied employees while others were kept in the waiting list for a long time.

Anthony said employers generally did not have confidence in hiring disabled people. "We disabled people don’t suffer from disabilities. It is the attitude [of others that] we suffer from," he said.

"If the country has such determination to send a man to space, then it should have the same determination and enthusiasm for us," he added.

At a press conference later, Surendran said a comprehensive legislation was needed to protect the needs of the disabled, including requiring employers to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the disabled at the workplace.

The Disabled Persons Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament on Dec 10. According to a news report, once the bill is passed, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry will work with other relevant ministries to set up a council to look into policies for the disabled.

Updated: 12:16PM Mon, 03 Dec 2007

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News Of Interest

News Of Interest

International Day of Disabled Persons (IDD Interview on Minnal FM with ILTC President Francis Siva, 2.00pm to 3.00pm, 3 December 2007) - CONFIRMED

International Day of Disabled Day - 2007 Theme: "Decent work for persons with disabilities"

The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons, 3 December, aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. The theme of the Day is based on the goal of full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by persons with disabilities, established by the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by General Assembly in 1982.

TEMPLE GATHERING

TEMPLE GATHERING

DEEPAVALI WELFARE PROGRAMME 2007

The Sri Krishna Temple president A.Subramaniam presented RM10 ang pow and goodie bags to residents of Philea Home, Sintamani Divine Life Ashram, Malaysia Association for the Blind, Saratha Illam, Jerome Home, the Independent Living & Training Centre and Chastity Home. Nearly 300 children and disabled people enjoyed a day of food and fun at the Welfare Programme 2007 in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday . The event kicked off with breakfast, followed by entertainment.