An Unforgettable Benchmark For PJ Soon

Story - Courtesy from Petpositive

An Unforgettable Benchmark For PJ Soon

Unanimous thumbs up from everyone

DATELINE: KUALA LUMPUR

MALAYSIAN WITH DISABILITIES had a rare opportunity yesterday to get a glimpse of "a new Petaling Jaya", in the state of Selangor.

"The new city" will be marked by a brand new 12-acre commercial land development area called the PJ Sentral Garden City.

Located in Section 52 in PJ, and currently being occupied by PKNS, the upcoming purpose-built project will feature state-of-the-art disabled-friendly facilities that have never been seen before.

"Wheelchair users will find it a breeze to move about in the area without any barriers with its universal designs," said Michael Simon Karuppiah, executive director of UniMediaNetwork Sdn Bhd based in KL.

Deep in discussion

"And the blind will be able to easily navigate themselves independently in and around the area," added the
UniMediaNetwork consultant for PJ Sentral Development Sdn Bhd who are responsible for the Garden City.

Michael was speaking as chairman at a special dialogue session at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in KL where PJ Sentral conducted a special briefing of their prized project for members of PETPOSITIVE, the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association.

Nearly three dozen people with disabilities and their caregivers turned up for the afternoon half-day function that began after a sumptuous lunch which was treated by the company.

Whilst the majority of participants were in wheelchairs, others included the blind, people with learning disabilities, stroke and the elderly.

Scrumptious lunch

The talk included a slide show featuring an artist's impression of disabled-friendly features in and around the project.

"We are not here only to tell you what we are doing; but also to get your advice on how we can make it even more user-friendly to all of you," said Michael before opening up the floor for feedback.

Almost everyone who turned up spoke.

Several disabled activists thanked the creators of the PJ Sentral Garden City idea for making the needs of the disabled and the elderly a priority concern.

A participant who is paralysed from his neck down said with a lump in his throat:

"Once PJ's Garden City is completed, I will at last be able to celebrate Merdeka (Malaysia's Independence Day) for the first time".

The discussion room

Another wheelchair-user thanked PJ Sentral for caring enough to seek their views first before going ahead with the project.

"In this way, we are able to give you guys valuable input - no developer had gone this far before to do this!" he remarked.

An elderly woman, however, couldn't stop herself from being cynical.

"Please don't blame me for feeling this way," she told PET+BLOGSPOT after the session.

"Many parties had made promises to improve the handicapped's plight but never kept their word in the end," she pointed out.

"Please don't get me wrong; it's clearly wonderful - but I won't believe it until I truly see it - and only then will I congratulate anyone."

The session which was supposed to end at 4pm lasted an extra hour.

Many refused to go home because they were having such a good time.

Most of them had never had a private session like this with a developer previously.

Furthermore, they told PET+BLOGSPOT the news was too good to go back without sharing their reactions to the other participants.

But it was Michael who finally had the last say.

"We are so moved by all that you have shared with us today so much so that we will now seriously think of adding several key persons from your group into a special committee to help us fine-tune the user-friendly details of the project." He concluded.

Imran at a previous function

Earlier Mohd Imran Salim, the director of Gapurna Group Sdn Bhd which PJ Sentral Development Sdn Bhd is a member of, made a brief appearance during the presentation.

Arriving in Malaysia from Autralia a day earlier, Imran announced that the PJ Sentral Garden City project will incorporate Australia's designs on disability accessibility standards in all of its universal designs.

PJ Gardens will, at the same time, engage with local disabled people in order to get their views on the Aussie standards.

The PJ Sentral Garden City is the first project of the Selangor state government's move towards regeneration, rejuvenation and revitalisation.

Petpositive thanks Garpurna Group Sdn Bhd for organising the special lunch-cum-briefing for our members.

Perak mulling use of tranquilliser darts on strays

Thursday November 11, 2010

Perak mulling use of tranquilliser darts on strays

IPOH: The Perak government has asked all local councils in the state to study the feasibility of using tranquilliser darts to put down strays.

However, Local Government committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon conceded that the high cost of the darts could hamper its use.

"We will look into the technical aspects (of using the darts), whether it is feasible and cost-effective," he said after visiting the century-old Paloh Khoo Miu Temple here yesterday.

Dr Mah was commenting on the call by the Ipoh Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for authorities to use the darts rather than real bullets to put down strays.

The ISPCA said this would cut down the possibility of guns misfiring and hitting innocent bystanders.

The concern surfaced after city council enforcers shot a 10-year-old licensed therapy dog in Taman Merdeka near here, recently.

The dog, which belonged to a 75-year-old retired teacher, was left unattended while she went into her house to get toilet paper to clean it.

In PUTRAJAYA, the Veterinary Services Department expressed concern and frustration over the killing of the dog. Department director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin said the use of firearms continued even after a national seminar in May 2008 and guidelines on the capture of stray animals were issued to all municipal council officers, NGOs and state veterinary officers.

Dr Abdul Aziz said the department had stopped using firearms in 2008 as a means to control strays as it was found to be inhumane.

In SHAH ALAM, the Selangor state assem-bly heard that dog catching contractors engaged by the Sepang Municipal Council had caught 20,000 dogs in one month earlier this year.

"This means they caught an average of 667 dogs a day," said Sungai Pelek assemblyman Yap Ee Wah.

Yap, who was debating Selangor's 2011 budget, said the contractors had earned a hefty RM700,000 for this as they were paid RM35 for every dog caught. He told reporters later the 20,000 dogs were allegedly caught only in the Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi zone.

Veterinary Department Orders An Immediate End To All Dog-Shooting In Malaysia

Story Courtesy from Petpositive

Veterinary Department Orders An Immediate End To All Dog-Shooting In Malaysia

Internet file pix

DATELINE DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY SERVICES, PUTRAJAYA:

THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY SERVICES (DVS) has called for an immediate ban on dog-shooting in the entire country.

This follows the senseless shooting to death of a senior therapy dog named "Spunk" in Taman Merdeka by the Ipoh City Council or MBI on October 30th, last month.

Internet file pix

The canine belonged to a 75-year-old retired teacher who is a member of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (PETPOSITIVE).

"Not only was it an extremely sad and regrettable incident but the killing of an animal that brought only hope and companionship to a senior citizen is inexcusable and a major embarrassment to Malaysia's image internationally," said Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamalludin, (right) the Director-General of the DVS.

"The DVS views what happened very seriously," he added to a question put by PET+BLOGSPOT at a press conference this afternoon at the Department of Agriculture building here.

Dr Aziz was speaking at the conclusion of a special open dialogue session this morning in which he served as the chair.

Dr Aziz leading the discussion

The event, which was organised by the DVS, brought together about 30 people from government bodies as well as animal rights and welfare NGOs.

Apart from Petpositive, the other representatives came from the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) in Rawang, Selangor, SPCAs from Selangor and Ipoh, Noah's Ark also from Perak, state and the Malaysian National Animal Welfare Foundation (MNAWF) from Kuala Lumpur.

The MNAWF was represented by its chairman Datuk Dr Mohd Nordin Mohd Nor, a former director-general of the Veterinary Services Department.

Petpositive called for the immediate outlawing of dog-shooting at the meeting. This was echoed by all of the NGOs at the meeting.

Cruel to shoot dogs

"The reason why local councils resort to dog-shooting is to find a quick solution to the problem of strays but this is not an acceptable solution," Dr Aziz pointed out.

"Dog-shooting is not only unnecessary but a cruel practice that is unacceptable in today's world," he added.

"It is also very dangerous as the bullet could strike human beings.

"Councils will no longer be allowed to shoot dogs but only under special situations such as in disease situations; however, it can only be done in very rare cases and under the supervision of qualified veterinarians.

"Councils should instead employ more humane methods to effectively deal with the stray problem by catching them and offering training to their catchers.

"Councils that currently exercise dog-shooting currently should learn from local councils in Selangor, in particular, that have abandoned such practices and now employ humane and more effective methods in stray management.

Dr Aziz says his department will be writing immediately to the MBI to instruct them to cease all dog-shooting.

This will also apply to other local councils in the country that is also engaging in such practices.

A representative of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government who was present at today's meeting said that his department will also do the same.

Speaking to PET+BLOGSPOT after the meeting, Dr Ranjit Kaur from Noah's Ark said she was delighted by the decision of the DVS and the action that will be taken.

"As an advocate who has been actively fighting against canine-shooting in our city for many years, it was truly worth traveling all the way to this meeting."

Beaming also from ear to ear was Dr Goh Hue Lang, the head of SPCA in Ipoh.

"Whilst dog-shooting is going to be a thing of the past, there are still many things to do to solve the problem of stray dogs in the city which we all need to put our heads together in order to find the best solution," she said.

Newcomer to the animal rights movement, Francis Siva, president of ILTC, said he was most impressed with Dr Aziz.

"He came across as a very approachable DG who had an amazing understand of dogs, their behaviour and how best to approach the issue," he noted.

NEXT: DVS TO SET UP AN ANIMAL WELFARE ADVISORY COUNCIL.

Dusty Dies Leaving Disabled Centre To Pine For His Loss

Story courtesy from Petpositive

Dusty Dies Leaving Disabled Centre To Pine For His Loss

Dusty & Francis

PETPOSITIVE NEWSFLASH!

(Story by aNt. Pix courtesy of ILTC)

THE PASSING AWAY OF A STERLING MALAYSIAN SERVICE DOG

DATELINE RAWANG SELANGOR:

ONE OF THE FEW working service dogs in Malaysia named Dusty died this morning leaving more than half a dozen residents of the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) in Taman Garing here to mourn for his loss.

Final goodbye to a hero

The Golden Retriever came to the self-help group in 2001 as a puppy under a programme run by Bivai Special Dogs, an assistance dog training programme run by service dog trainer Anthony SB Thanasayan who is also President of PETPOSITIVE.

Dusty was the first dog trained by the service dog outreach programme run by Bivai Special Dogs to help empower the lives of disabled people.

Rina & ILTC member fulfilling last rites

"We are feeling his loss tremendously," said an emotional Francis Siva to PET+BLOGSPOT this afternoon.

"All of us at the ILTC have lost a truly best and loyal friend who gave us nothing but his unconditional love for almost a decade," added the president of the ILTC.

"Despite being paralysed from my neck down, Dusty helped me stay on top of my life. He helped me stay focused in my job of helping other disabled people like myself."

Francis who has been disabled for 25 years said Dusty was also hugely popular with everyone who visited the centre - both the disabled and the able-bodied.

"Walking around and greeting the residents first thing in the morning would almost at once bring a warm smile in everyone's faces," Francis pointed out, smiling briefly as he recollected his memory.

"Dusty would sleep next to me each night. His breakfast each morning was a couple of slices of bread with cheese whilst his main meal was dog kibble in the evening.

"He was also spoilt silly: his favourite food was Bak Kut Teh (Chinese soup with pork) and Char Siew Pau (roast pork steamed buns).

Looking back Siva feels that he could have spent more time with Dusty who always sits next to his wheelchair when he is working on his computer.

Another activity that Dusty used to enjoy with his master was during inspection time of the centre's rooms.

"Dusty would follow me closely with his nose in the air sniffing diligently as if some stranger was going to suddenly pop out of one of the rooms," said Francis with a smile.

"But his best game of all was playing ball in the evenings," said Francis.

"It was a game that none of us could win or take away his focus from.

"He would even ignore the neighbourhood dogs and cats whenever there was a ball in his mouth which he enjoyed retrieving.

"Sometimes, he would cheekily run away with it and expect us to chase after him in our wheelchairs!"

ILTC secretary Gurdip Kaur, or Rina as she is best known, says she will miss Dusty most when she returns to the centre after a hard day of work.

"Dusty would always be there," said the former Selayang Municipality Councillor.

"He would run to my car and before I could get into my wheelchair, I will have to pat him first and explain to him why I'm late for home from work," she added.

"Sometimes when my husband (Francis) and I are very late in returning home, Dusty will refuse to eat until we were both safely home and having our dinner ourselves before he will take his food."

Dusty was bathed regular and even used to go to the groomer during happier days.


He never failed to get his yearly shots and regular checkups at the veterinarian.

The animal doctor would even make house-calls when necessary.

Dusty even took part in a couple of major outdoor events such as at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia in Kepong when Petpositive conducted an animal-assisted therapy session there and at a Dogathon event at Universiti Putra Malaysia.

Dusty became sick four days ago when his appetite significantly decreased. He also had blood in his urine.

He was promptly treated by his vet who put his illness to old age.

Last night, however, Dusty's appetite returned and he was even walking about.

This morning, however, he had trouble breathing.

Francis and Rina wasted no time to rush him to the vet.

They called for help from a resident in Taman Garing and got Dusty into their van.

But the sterling Golden breathed his last and slipped away in the arms of Rina.

Dusty passed away at 10.30am. He was nine years old.

He was buried an hour later in the compound of the ILTC.

The Golden Retriever got his name from the late Mr HRM Storey, the former political secretary for the late General Templer.

Mr Storey is also known as the father of the physically disabled in Malaysia.

He became disabled later in his life and used his situation to help many other disabled people in Malaysia.

Mr Storey was also adviser to Bivai Special Dogs.

Said Dusty's former trainer Thanasayan to PET+BLOGSPOT:

"Dusty was truly a loyal service dog and companion to the disabled couple activists. He was like their very own son and they his mum and dad."

Please tell us what you think about this story as well as take this opportunity to offer your tributes to the great Dusty.

For more pictures of Dusty during his final moments, go HERE

We lost our beloved Dusty

We lost our beloved Dusty

Our first service dog, a golden retriever just passed away at 10.30am on 06/11/2011 (Today) this morning in our centre. He was almost 11 years old.

We are very sad and it made us cry more .

This has been harder than we thought and we miss him so much.

Today was the hardest day of our life. We lost our best friend and a close family member.

Rumah Victory sealed

Rumah Victory sealed

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

CECILIA VICTOR

PETALING JAYA: The Rumah Victory Children Home in Taman United here, was sealed this afternoon by the Social Welfare Department for failing to register with the department as required under Section 5(1) of the Care Centres Act 1993.

ILLEGAL: The Rumah Victory Children Home was sealed by the Social Welfare Department at 3pm today and is now off-limits (below). — Pics: Salhani Ibrahim

The action taken by the department was in accordance with Section 16A (1) of the Act, which awards complete authority to the department's director-general or any officer to take immediate action, following a care centre's failure to comply with the minimum requirements set.

Rumah Victory's caretaker, Chong Kok Hong, signed the notice issued by the department to seal the home at 3pm today.

The department had previously sent a notice on Tuesday to give inmates and staff alike ample time to vacate the home. Since the notice was issued, the children have been taken away by their parents, while those without parents have been transferred to other shelter homes under the welfare department's supervision.

Kuala Lumpur Welfare Department director Noormah Rauh, who was present today, said: "The home failed to comply with the three basic regulations set by the Fire and Rescue Department, the Health Department and the local authority.

"It's important for the home to be registered to ensure it fulfills minimum standards pertaining to the ratio of carer and residents, adequate space for inmates, nutrition as well as suitability of activities," she added.

"To date, we have identified 266 shelter homes which are unregistered. Out of these, 236 are still in the application process. Only 30 homes have had their registration approved."

For being unregistered, shelter homes can face a minimum fine of RM10,000 or two years imprisonment, or both, if convicted.

In addition, the homes can also be fined up to RM1,000 daily, under Subsection 5(2) of the Care Centres Act 1993, if they fail to comply with the minimum standards as mentioned above.

SIGNED: Chong signing the notice as a welfare officer looks on earlier today

Another spokesman from the welfare department said the inmates and their parents were upset after finding out about the home's situation. The parents had high hopes for Rumah Victory to nurture their children, but it failed in the effort.

On Tuesday, The Malay Mail reported the home's supervisor was also allegedly involved with the sexual crimes and physical abuse of underaged boys at Rumah Victory, in addition to the conducts of an award-winning ex-Press photographer, who first revealed the alleged sexual crimes at the home.

Checks on the supervisor's background showed a past record for a drug-related offense.

Noormah said operators or management of shelter homes must take necessary measures in properly screening its staff and volunteers, and that behavioural protocols are put in place to ensure a safe environment for inmates, in regards to some staff members not being evaluated at all.

Rumah Victory is also being investigated after the ex-photographer revealed on Monday that the home had been involved in serious sexual conducts involving the staff at the home which houses 21 boys from the age of nine to 15.

Confessed sexual predator gets treatment

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Confessed sexual predator gets treatment

...at Hospital Kuala Lumpur for psychiatric evaluation

Frankie D'Cruz

Muzliza Mustafa

KUALA LUMPUR: City police yesterday referred the Rumah Victory sexual predator who confessed to abusing at least 10 underage boys for psychiatric evaluation.

In response to The Malay Mail cover story yesterday that the 53-year-old ex-newspaper cameraman was a “walking time bomb”, City CID chief SAC II Datuk Ku Chin Wah said: “Legally, we cannot hold him longer than necessary. We only realised his depression and tendency to commit suicide after his confession when he met with DSP Choo Lily (head, sexual investigation department) again yesterday evening.

“We have referred him to the hospital for psychiatrist evaluation.”

Police sent the man, who admitted to molesting at least 10 boys aged nine to 14 while working as a volunteer at the children’s and youth renewal life centre, off Jalan Klang Lama, to Hospital Kuala Lumpur about 3pm.

He will undergo tests at the psychiatric unit where doctors will evaluate and attempt to treat him to competency.

A psychiatrist said competency refers to an individual’s ability to understand “the seriousness, the nature and the severity” of the case against him.

The Paper That Cares had bared the ex-Pressman’s potentially explosive state of mind following an email from him to the paper’s editor-at-large, Frankie D’Cruz.

In seeking psychiatric care, he wrote about life in “isolation” and the nightmares he was enduring, saying “my brain is going to explode any moment”.

He expressed his fears just as child abuse experts, child sex activists and psychiatrists raised questions on why the man had been released on unconditional police bail and left to fend for himself.

They also asked why authorities failed to respond to his plea for psychiatric treatment after voluntarily making a police statement last Saturday.

They were also concerned the man could interfere with witnesses and victims as he was left free without any police monitoring.

The ex-Pressman had made disturbing revelations that he abused the boys under his care between early last year and July this year at the centre.

The confessed homosexual first made the sobering disclosures to D’Cruz, who subsequently lodged a police report against him.

Three boys have to date confirmed they were sexually abused by him.

The ex-photographer, now a webmaster with a multinational, is being investigated under Sections 354 and 377e of the Penal Code that carry punishments ranging between seven and 10 years and whipping.

Section 354 relates to assault or use of criminal force against a person with intent to outrage modesty while the other pertains to inciting a child to an act of gross indecency.

Suspect remanded, home to be sealed

DETAINED: The Rumah Victory supervisor escorted by a police officer to KL police headquarters

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have detained another man in connection with the Rumah Victory scandal, involving sexual crimes and physical abuse of underaged boys.

Federal police CID deputy director Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the man, a supervisor at the children’s and youth renewal life centre, off Jalan Klang Lama, had been remanded until Nov 6.

The suspect, 42, was being investigated under the Children Act 2001 for child abuse.

The Welfare Department is expected to seal the premises, a bungalow in Jalan Sepakat 8, today.

Children who have parents will be returned to their families while those without were transferred to shelter homes under the supervision of the Welfare Department.

It is learnt the suspect was detained after his statement was recorded at Kuala Lumpur police headquarters on Tuesday.

Checks on his background showed he had a previous record for a drug-related offence.

A 17-year- old resident of Rumah Victory was also released after his statement was recorded.

Police interviewed all 21 residents of the home to determine the extent of the crimes, which also includes allegations of the boys being used as drug runners and drug trafficking at the centre.

The police swung into action after an ex-newspaper cameraman made stunning revelations he sexually abused boys at the centre.

The man, who is also a student acupuncturist, also spoke of alleged voyeurism involving a staff who photographed boys bathing and moving bowels.

Allegations of naked photos of boys also surfaced.

A staff member also allegedly forced a nine-year-old boy to masturbate in front of other children recently.

A donor was alleged to have been allowed to take two boys on a rendezvous from morning till night against the home’s regulations. The centre was managed by ex-drug addicts.

Training centre for disabled opens up a whole new world

Thursday November 4, 2010

Training centre for disabled opens up a whole new world

A positive attitude can work wonders for one’s well-being.

LETCHUMY Krishnan, 25, is one of the most active residents of the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) in Rawang, Selangor. She cleans, cooks, sews, makes handicraft items and does the weekly grocery.

However, Letchumy, a wheelchair user, wasn’t like this when she was living with her mother in Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam.

Letchumy was born on April 1 at the General Hospital in Klang. She was joined from the head with her twin sister. The surgeons wasted no time in separating the conjoined babies. Sadly, Letchumy’s sister died three months later.

By then Letchumy was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Her distraught father abandoned her.

“Dad left us when I needed him the most,” Letchumy said.

Letchumy’s mum, however. never gave up on her little girl. With her meagre income from packing drinks at a factory, she continued to support her children. She enrolled Letchumy at a Tamil school near their home. As they had no car, a friend offered to transport her daughter to school. Class attendance, however, was irregular depending on whether there was transport.

Letchumy was able to walk with some support. As a student with a disability, Letchumy was unable to use the school toilet as it did not have disabled-friendly features. She was excused from assembly and sports which she loved so much.

Letchumy stopped schooling after the doctors did an operation to improve her condition. The operation left her worse off when she lost some sensation in her limbs.

Letchumy soon found herself confined to her flat, which was on the third floor. “It was a lonely life. There were no lifts in my flat, so I couldn’t get out and make friends.”

One day, Letchumy and her mother were listening to RTM’s Radio Six, when a special live interview programme with several disabled activists came on.

One of them was Francis Siva, president of ILTC.

“My mum and I couldn’t believe our ears when we heard that disabled people were leading useful lives at the ILTC,” said Letchumy. She enrolled at the centre within two days.

“Suddenly, a whole new world opened up for me,” said Letchumy.

Letchumy learnt to speak English and Bahasa Malaysia. She also learnt to use a computer for the first time.

“I want to focus on starting a new life. My mum is proud of my achievements,” said Letchumy.

Letchumy is looking for employment outside the centre. If you can help, call ILTC at % 03-6091 2531 or e-mail: iltcmalaysia@gmail.com.

Happy Deepavali

Happy Deepavali to all the members/friends of ILTC Malaysia.

May the light that we celebrate at Deepavali show us the way and lead us together on the path of peace, harmony, happiness and prosperity.

For those who are travelling back to hometowns, have a safe journey.

"Annaivarukkum Yengalin Idhayam Kanitha Deepavali Nal Valthughal"

"அனைவருக்கும் எங்கள் இதயங்கனிந்த தீபாவளி நல்வாழ்த்துகள்"

Regards,

President ILTC Malaysia.