A meeting for exchanging of our views.
INDEPENDENT LIVING & TRAINING CENTRE MALAYSIA - (BADAN LATIHAN & HIDUP BERDIKARI MALAYSIA) LOT NO. 112, KG. SG. DUA TAMBAHAN, JALAN BATU ARANG, MUKIM RAWANG, 48000 RAWANG SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN TEL: 03-6093 6292 TEL/FAX: 03-6091 2531 Email: iltcmalaysia@gmail.com
NEW MINISTER FOR WELFARE MINISTER OF MALAYSIA
Badan Latihan dan Hidup Berdikari Malaysia (ILTC) pada 23hb Mac 2016 menyerahkan memorandum kepada ahli-ahli parlimen mendesak supaya golongan orang kurang upaya (OKU) dikecualikan daripada cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST).
Disabled Members Protest
Disabled Members Protest at JPJ Wangsa Maju
ILTC Malaysia members staged a protest outside JPJ Wangsamaju KL.
Disabled group’s protest disabled drivers required to produce doc's medical report.
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Flashback: Images From the ILTC's Folder
A meeting for exchanging of our views.

Malaysia Signs Global Declaration On Parkinson's Disease
KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia became a signatory of the Global Declaration on Parkinson's disease today, reaffirming the government's commitment towards the sufferers.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the government was fully aware of the sufferings of the Parkinson's community.
"Awareness programmes which highlight the plight of Parkinson's disease patients is an important first step towards improving care and support for them.
"I hope the signing of the Global Declaration on Parkinson's disease today and celebration of World Parkinson's Day 2010 will signify the beginning of a better tomorrow for the Malaysian Parkinson's community," he said after signing the declaration, here, Sunday night.
Also present were the CEO of Yayasan Budi Penyayang Datuk Lela Mohd Ali, expert on Parkinson's brain surgery and consultant neurosurgeon Prof Tipu Aziz and Negeri Sembilan Parkinson's Society president Gharizah Hashim.
Liow said, with the signing of the declaration, Malaysia had now joined 14 other countries such as Australia, India, Canada, Switzerland and the United States which had signed the declaration.
The declaration calls on global leaders and healthcare providers to take strong and decisive action in implementing effective management of strategies to enable patients to live a better life.
Liow in his speech said patients in the country had access to appropriate care and treatment at both government and private hospitals.
"Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that mainly affects elderly people. It leads to slowness of movement, uncontrollable trembling of the hands and body stiffness.
"There is presently no treatment that can either cure or slow down the progression of Parkinson's disease and patients have to endure physical and mental disabilities for their entire live," he said.
At a press conference later, Liow said it was estimated that 15,000 to 20,000 Malaysians suffered from Parkinson's disease.
He said the figure was expected to rise to 25,000 to 30,000 by 2020 and at least 1,500 new cases occurred each year.
"In terms of specialist manpower, the currently proposed norm for Malaysia is one neurologist for every 250,000 people.
"With an estimated population of 28 million in 2009, we need 112 neurologists. But presently we have only 52 in the country," he said.
-- BERNAMA
22-year-old with growth disability and hypertension can’t get aid
SEREMBAN: Twenty-two-year-old S. Avinesh Singh’s looks belie his age.
Suffering from growth disorder, the youth with Russell-Silver Syndrome barely weighs 25kg and is less than a metre tall.
In addition to being both speech and hearing impaired, Avinesh, who is born with only one kidney, has hypertension and had undergone several surgeries since birth.
Seeking help: Arumugam carrying Avinesh with Premjit beside him.And, despite being inflicted with these ailments, he has been denied aid by the state Welfare Department.
“I was told that they would look into my son’s appeal but nothing positive came out of it,” said single mother J. Premjit Kaur, 53, who suffers from asthma and psychiatric problems.
Premjit’s sister, Nirmal Kaur, 49, said their siblings had got together to provide help to the family for the time being.
“I was shocked when a department officer told me that since Premjit was already getting RM100 in aid, her son was not eligible,” she said, adding that she first submitted an application for Avinesh in 2004.
Her nephew, she said, was also required to go to Universiti Malaya Medical Centre regularly for check-ups.
“Both mother and son are in genuine need of aid,” added Nirmal.
Rahang assemblyman K. Arumugam said the department should have a standard set of rules when it came to approving aid.
“I was told that the department will give RM300 to a disabled person, who is gainfully employed and earning RM1,000 and above. Those earning less will get RM200.
“But what about people who are unable to work at all?” he asked
Saturday, 10 April 2010
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
ILTC & PETPOSITIVE MEETING WITH JKMM
JKM Wilayah senior officers made a claim that, they will come back to us within 3 months better solution.
Lions Club of Kuala Lumpur Central 14th Chess Competition for the Disabled
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Friday, 2 April 2010
Courtesy from PETPOSITIVE
Congratulations, meanwhile, are in order to Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) members Francis Siva and Gurdip Kaur for getting themselves into the executive committee of the Malaysian Spinal Injuries Association (MASIA) last Sunday.Serving as ILTC president and secretary in their own Nongovernmental organisation respectively, both Siva and Gurdip a.k.a Rina were elected as committee members at MASIA's 13th Annual General Meeting in Bandar Baru Sentul in Kuala Lumpur.
More than 50 members gathered at the event with bright hopes of rejuvenating the once-popular disability NGO.
Quite surprisingly, the AGM unearthed reports of mismanagement and misuse of funds by previous two senior executive committee members.
A resolution was passed by the Sunday meeting for an investigation to be carried out on the duo as soon as possible and be followed up by a police report if the allegations are found to be true.
On Tuesday, the ILTC was invited to a top working committee meeting of disabled activists with the Ministry of Transport (MOT).
Speaking to PET+BLOGSPOT recently, Siva commented: "I was thrilled to be invited to this event as it gives us an opportunity to put forward our views in an official way so that action will be taken as swiftly as possible in the area of public transportation for the handicapped in our country."
A follow-up access audit exercise to check out the wheelchair-friendly facilities at the KLIA and LCCT airports in Sepang is expected to be held sometime next week.
Tuesday's meeting with the disabled was held at the headquarters of the MOT in Putrajaya.
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Towards a disabled-friendly city - malaysiakini
MALAYSIAKINI REPORT by Vasughi Supramanian
17 March 2010
Finally at least one local administration in the country has woken up to the fact that the disabled need special attention so they can move around urban centres without any hassle and not just on paper.
Petaling Jaya City Council has decided to make the necessary changes in the city to create a disabled-friendly environment.
"Nothing will change if the local council members don't go down to the field," said Petaling Jaya councillor Anthony Thanasayan from his wheelchair.
He urged the Selangor state government to look into disabled issues seriously as more join the disabled ranks, either through disease or accidents.
"The simple reason why nothing is being done to increase the facilities available for the disabled is simply because they are not the ones on a wheelchair," he added.
To that end, the city council has formed a special committee for the planning and execution of a disabled-friendly city.
Thanasayan who is also the committee president said: "We will adopt four main strategies which are to upgrade staff expertise on disabled-friendly facilities, implementation of barrier-free city projects in selected locations, renovation programmes for the existing buildings and the monitoring of the social development programs."
PJ City Council planning and development unit director Sharipah Marhaini Syed Ali on her part said that presently PJS5, PJS6 and Section 52 are being developed as disabled-friendly areas.
"We would also make Section 13, which is under development, a convenient place for the disabled. Apart from that, all the existing and future developments in Petaling Jaya would strictly go through the Uniform Buildings by-law," she added.
Speaking to about 15 media representatives after the special meeting with 50 local council members yesterday, Sharipah said the council has come up with a specially-designed pamphlet for the convenience of the disabled.
500 printed pamphlets will be distributed to the disabled through the welfare department and the city council.
She added that the pamphlet contains information on barrier-free places in Petaling Jaya such as pedestrian walkaways in section 52, The Curve, Ikea, Ikano Power Centre, and SS2.
our special ones
OUR SPECIAL ONES23rd - 25th April 2010
Mid Valley Exhibition Centre
Level 3, Hall 3, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
OUR SPECIAL ONES will be organized and presented by D’ Organiser (M) Sdn Bhd with one objective to promote an understanding of disability issues and to create public awareness by bringing forward the difficulties encountered by our special ones together bringing in the latest technology of products and aids.
OUR SPECIAL ONES will bring together all with Development Disability (eg. Autism, Down Syndrome), Mobility and Physical Impairments, Spinal Cord Disability, Brain Disability, Vision Disability, Hearing Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities, Mental Disabilities and Psychological Disorders.
OUR SPECIAL ONES will bring in international as well as local exhibitors and associations to showcase their products and services offering practical solutions to aid and improve an independent lifestyle of the disabled.
OUR SPECIAL ONES will also be supported by various Organisations and Governmental Bodies and various sponsors to bring OUR SPECIAL ONES to another level which in return will create OUR SPECIAL ONES to be an annual event.
OUR SPECIAL ONES will be targeted at the general visitors, locally, regionally and internationally. This will be a great unity among our families of Malaysia as 1Malaysia to join hands and allow OUR SPECIAL ONES to appreciate and experience meaning of acceptance and also to help them face different types of barriers from participation in school, adapting to work life as well as social activities.
Our special Ones will be an eye opener for everyone, as the event will be first of its kind and this has never been done within Malaysia or around the region.
“Through education and increased public awareness, we can foster understanding, acceptance and appreciation with autism” Dr. Richard Burton, the Health and Human Services Director
Our Special Thanks for Your Support for
OUR SPECIAL ONES
Monday, 29 March 2010
Present A Paper At Community Hall In Section 3, Taman Medan.


My intention with present this paper was to reflect on my personal experiences, my family support, how I was motivated and the challenges facing as a disabled person in Malaysia.
Changes for the better
Changes for the better
The needs of the disabled and their caregivers are finally receiving some attention.TWO events with ramifications for people with disabilities took place last week.
The first happened in a community hall in Section 3, Petaling Jaya, where a group of nearly a hundred – mostly parents and caregivers of the handicapped – attended a half-day forum on how to be more effective in their roles.
It was part of a community-based rehabilitation exercise organised by Taman Medan assemblywoman Haniza Talha.
This workshop was special for several reasons. First, it was targeted at parents and caregivers of disabled persons. The pillar of strength for the disabled, this group has been largely invisible to the public, the media and the Government.
Not enough attention is being given to those who endure hardship in raising a handicapped child. Quite a few have to cope on their own with two or even three disabled family members.
Before the event began, I went around the hall and spoke to some of the parents.
Blind trust: The blind are easy targets for crooks. It is difficult for them to distinguish between a genuine law enforcement officer and a con man.I was shocked to discover that they had little support or information on how to bring up their disabled kids even though they had access to specialists and lived in a vibrant city like Petaling Jaya.
Clearly those involved in rehabilitation medicine need to change their present method of treatment in hospitals and find an effective way to reach their patients in their own homes, like what is being done in outreach programmes in many countries.
I was especially delighted when I learned that Haniza was planning to set up a support group for poor parents in her constituency so that they could come together and share their resources.
The speakers at the forum were disabled persons with various handicaps.
A tetraplegic shared how he overcame depression and suicidal thoughts after he became handicapped following a road accident.
He spoke about how his mother eventually changed her negative perception when she saw him helping other people in a similar situation.
Another highlight was a presentation by a rehabilitation doctor who showed slides of aids available to the handicapped in Malaysia, in the form of special wheelchairs and shower equipment.
Many of the participants were seeing such things for the first time.
They told me later that they were greatly encouraged by the disabled role models who spoke about their experiences.
Meanwhile, disabled Malaysians who are worried about personal safety will soon have a reason to smile, following a special meeting between representatives of the disabled and the police force.
About 30 people – 10 of whom were top brass from the police force while the rest represented people with disabilities – met at the Jalan Travers police station in Kuala Lumpur last Wednesday.
Arranged by the National Welfare Department, the meeting was a follow-up to the one held in October last year. I wasn’t at the meeting but several physically-disabled activists who were present told me that it was very promising.
The police force was once again briefed on the problems faced by the disabled community in matters related to crime and protection.
These included the difficulty the blind have in distinguishing between a law enforcement officer and a crook pretending to be one.
One disabled woman related how she was robbed in broad daylight at a centre for the disabled, by machete-wielding assailants. She was in a state of shock and called the police, only to be told to “come over to the station to make a report”.
In a recent incident, a middle-aged man in a wheelchair was kicked by an assailant in public. Charges have yet to be filed against the offender.
The issue of wheelchair accessibility was also raised. Those who came in wheelchairs found the ramps in the newly-built police station, to be too steep. They couldn’t wheel themselves up without assistance. The ramp was also partially blocked by a flower pot and a signboard stand.
The lifts had no Braille buttons and no voice activation. The so-called handicapped-friendly toilet had hardly any room for manoeuvring. The grab bars were all fitted wrongly and the toilet did not have sliding doors.
As for the car parks, they were too far from the entrance. Disabled visitors are forced to negotiate oncoming traffic to get to the building which is located across the disabled parking lot.
The police promised to look into the complaints straight away.
Saturday, 27 March 2010
Disabled group wants a fair probe

Disabled group wants a fair probe
A GROUP of disabled people is disappointed over the method of investigation by the KTM Komuter management in the case of a disabled person who was kicked by a KTM Komuter driver.
Anthony Thanasayan, who is a member of Malaysians Against Discrimination of the Disabled (MADD) and a MBPJ councillor said the KTM management had briefed the press without their presence.
“Also, the investigation committee interviewed their own staff first and the victim was only called for the interview today. The victim should be interviwed first.
“This is unfair and the investigation should be conducted professionally. The disabled 57-year-old Karuppannan Veeramalai is the victim and he is being treated like the guilty party.
“They (KTM management) are trying to protect their staff.” Independent Living and Training Centre president Francis Siva said.
“They only wanted the investigation to be carried out in a fair and professional manner.
“If there is no action taken, we will take the matter to the higher authority of the police.
“In fact, after the incident happened on March 4, the police have not got back to us. We want justice to be served,’’ he said.
KTMB acting general manager (Commuter Services) Mohd Hider Yusoff said they had to complete the investigations before any decision was made.
“We know the driver’s story but still have not heard the disabled person’s account. We will come out with a report within the next two weeks.”
Thursday, 25 March 2010
24 Mar 2010KTM records statement on alleged assault
KTM Bhd has recorded a written statement from wheelchair-bound Karuppannan Veeramalai, who alleged that a Komuter train driver had assaulted and verbally abused him earlier this month over a parking incident.
Karuppannan met with KTM officials at the central region administration office for commuter services at KL Sentral this afternoon.
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Petpositive Reaches Out To Homeless Elderly and Disabled in Kuala Selangor
DATELINE KUALA SELANGOR: (Pictures by ILTC, Malaysians in Motion, Alison Murugesu-Ghani & Petpositive.)
To make matters worse, they were elderly and disabled too.
It was Petpositive members Stanislaus Anthony and Francis Siva who came across their hapless situation during a routine visitation programme conducted by the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) in Rawang, Selangor.
They alerted Our Society to their troubles. Because Petpositive is a Society for the elderly and the disabled, we decided to respond to their needs.
Membership to our Society for all elderly and disabled persons is automatic.
There is no payment for memberships.
Ghani and Alison are no strangers to PETPOSITIVE.

The couple, together with their son Adrian (now five years of age) conducted a round-the-world 4X4 expedition from May 2008 until 19 August in 2009.
Their journey took them more than 60,000 miles through 43 countries and over four continents.

However, most important of all was a wheelchair commode so that they could attend to the calls of nature in comfort and safety.
The Ghanis donated the commode chair and a table fan by delivering the items personally to PETPOSITIVE at our Therapy Centre (PTC) in Petaling Jaya.
This was done in the morning on February 19, last month.
Committee member S Gopalasingam was also at the PTC to receive the items.
The Ghanis gifts to the 11-old folks were presented on the 11th of this month at Kuala Selangor.
We managed to get a top ranking officer to follow us there and then to visit the home.
The ILTC and PETPOSITIVE through Stanilaus Anthony is currently seeing to it that the arrangements proceed successfully.
Monday, 22 March 2010
MEETING WITH THE YB PUAN HANIZA MOHD TALHA
Friday, 19 March 2010
Pemandu KTMB diberi amaran

Pemandu KTMB diberi amaranSUBANG JAYA – Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) memaklumkan sudah mengambil tindakan dengan mengeluarkan amaran kepada seorang kakitangannya yang didakwa mengasari orang kurang upaya (OKU) yang juga penjaga tandas di stesen komuter Subang Jaya, awal Mac lalu.
Dalam satu maklum balas yang dihantar kepada Sinar Harian, Juru Cakap Unit Komunikasi Korporat KTMB memaklumkan, kakitangan yang terbabit dalam insiden itu juga bersedia memohon maaf secara terbuka kepada pengadu sekiranya ia mampu menjernihkan kembali keadaan.
Menurutnya, siasatan awal dijalankan pihaknya berdasarkan aduan dibuat mendapati, serangan fizikal oleh kakitangan yang didakwa pengadu adalah berpunca dari perselisihan faham yang bersifat peribadi antara pengadu dan kakitangan dimaksudkan.
“Seperti yang dimaklumkan sebelum ini pengadu, V Karuppannan, 57, yang sudah hampir 15 tahun bertugas sebagai penjaga tandas mengenali pemandu tren dimaksudkan yang tinggal di kuarters berdekatan stesen sejak tahun 2006.
“Berdasarkan siasatan, krisis yang timbul adalah berpunca dari laluan keluar kuarters tersebut yang terhalang oleh kenderaan anak pengadu,” katanya.
Merujuk kenyataan itu katanya, kakitangan berkenaan tiada niat untuk mengasari pengadu dan reaksi fizikal yang berlaku adalah tidak disengajakan.
“Kakitangan tidak berniat untuk mendatangkan kecederaan dan insiden itu tercetus selepas berlaku perbalahan kecil mengenai laluan keluar yang terhalang.
“Malah, dia (kakitangan dimaksudkan) bersedia untuk bertemu pengadu memohon maaf secara terbuka seandainya perbuatan tersebut boleh menjernihkan keadaan,” katanya.
Beliau berkata, KTM Berhad sudah memaklumkan hal berkenaan kepada Pengerusi Persatuan Badan Latihan dan Hidup Berdikari (ILTC), Francis Siva bagi mendapat persetujuan daripada pihak pengadu.
“KTM Berhad merumuskan bahawa kes adalah bertitik tolak dari salah faham antara dua pihak dan tiada unsur jenayah dan penindasan yang wujud.
“Walaupun begitu, kami memberi amaran kepada kakitangan dimaksudkan supaya perkara sama tidak berulang.
:“Pihak kami juga sekali lagi menekankan bahawa apa yang berlaku adalah bersifat peribadi dan ia tidak mencerminkan organisasi ini secara keselu- ruhan,” katanya yang memberitahu mereka yang tergolong sebagai OKU tidak perlu khuatir menggunakan perkhidmatan kerana layanan diberi sama rata.
Terdahulu, akhbar ini melaporkan disebabkan salah seorang rakan mereka dikasari kakitangan syarikat pengangkutan, kira-kira 15 golongan OKU mengadakan piket secara aman 9 Mac lalu menggesa pihak berkenaan mengambil tindakan kepada individu yang didakwa melakukan perbuatan itu di stesen komuter Subang Jaya.
Selain ditampar, OKU yang bekerja sebagai penjaga tandas mendakwa ditendang sehingga menyebabkan dia bersama kerusi roda digunakan hampir tersungkur ke atas lantai.
Mangsa dalam laporan itu mendakwa, kejadian itu bukan kali pertama berlaku, malah dia pernah beberapa kali dimarahi kakitangan yang sama sejak tiga tahun lalu.
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Bumpy ride

Bumpy ride
Airport encounters that call for an attitude change.STANISLAUS Anthony, 60, and his wife Janet, 53, were overjoyed last month when their son surprised them with a trip to India. Joachim, 26, paid for his parents’ 10-day pilgrimage to a healing centre in Kerala in South India.
Joachim decided to accompany his parents since they are persons with disabilities.Stanislaus became disabled 12 years ago after he underwent a hip replacement surgery. Although he is able to walk, he can only do so for very short distances. He tires easily and the pain in his left leg is often excruciating. When this happens, he uses a wheelchair.
Janet, on the other hand, has been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.
The couple and their son joined a crowd of 5,000 pilgrims at the centre. It was an experience of a lifetime for the trio.
I caught up with Stanislaus and Janet when they returned to Petaling Jaya a couple of weeks ago. Instead of telling me about the difficulties they encountered as disabled persons in a foreign land, they couldn’t stop telling me about the many problems they had to overcome before even leaving Malaysia.
When Joachim booked the flight online, he recalled ticking a box on the form to indicate “Disabled (passenger)”. No further questions were asked about the disability status.
So the eager retirees thought that all their accessibility needs would be looked into when they arrived at the airport.
When Stanislaus reached the Sepang airport, he was shocked to find that the only disabled parking spot next to the building entrance was occupied by a car belonging to a non-disabled driver.
He had no choice but to park his specially-adapted car next to the offending vehicle.
Then came the second upset. Despite the numerous stickers on his car clearly indicating that he was a disabled driver, he was promptly served with a summons. The real offender, meanwhile, got away scot-free.
However, this was nothing compared to the nightmare that was yet to come. The disabled couple were made to climb up a flight of stairs before they could board the aircraft. The ambulift – a specially designed contraption to lift wheelchairs into the aeroplane – was out of order, they were told.
After the rest of the passengers had boarded the plane, it was their turn. Stanislaus has had frequent hip dislocations over the past year. He was terrified as he took each step up the stairs. Janet was on tenterhooks, too.
Once inside the plane, the couple had to walk almost halfway across the length of the plane to get to their seats. Stanislaus wondered why the airline had not made things easier for them and changed their seats to one of the front rows instead. Only on their return trip were they given front-row seats.
The couple also raised a few points:
> The staff were ill-advised on how to help disabled travellers. When the couple were struggling up the steps leading to the aircraft, there were only two small-sized women and one man on standby in case of emergency.
> Although there was an express lane for disabled/elderly passengers at the airport in India, none existed in the Sepang airport.
> The ambulift was still under repair when the couple returned from India. The wheelchair provided by the airport in Sepang had wheels that wobbled. Stanislaus was charged RM15 for the use of the wheelchair and no receipt was issued. In India, the wheelchair service was free.
“All this clearly calls for an attitude change from the airline and the airport authorities if they want everyone to fly,” said Stanislaus







