Published: Saturday December 4, 2010 MYT 4:39:00 PM

PM: Development agenda to benefit all, including the disabled

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will ensure that its development agenda will benefit all sections of the society including people with disabilities, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

He said the government's approach would be based on the principles of social justice and inclusiveness to ensure that everyone gets to enjoy the country's prosperity and not just a certain section of the society.

"All sections of the society, irrespective of whether they are able-bodied or with disabilities, will be cared for in line with the social justice principles," he said when opening the national-level Centre for Rehabilitation in Community (PDK) sale carnival at Stadium Titiwangsa, Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, here Saturday.

Present were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Najib said to achieve this, the government would develop a system to fully realise the potentials of each and every person in the country, especially those with disabilities.

He said the government had already set that one percent of civil servants should be appointed from among the disabled.

Although the target had yet to be fully achieved, the government was committed to fulfilling the percentage, he said, adding that the private sector also played an important role in offering employment opportunities to this group.

"They are not seeking for sympathy; what they want is the opportunity to stand on their feet and contribute to the society," he said.

He added that the effort to assist people with disabilities was part of the "1Malaysia, People First, Performance Now" concept and entrenched in the Economic Transformation Plan and New Economic Model which aimed to turn Malaysia into a developed nation by 2020.

He also called on parents to equip themselves with parenting skills, saying some of the disabilities among children, such as those caused by illness like high fever, could have been prevented had they known what should be done. - Bernama

Saturday December 4, 2010

No limits

By JOLEEN LUNJEW

Having a disability needn’t be the end of the world. The following people have made the most of their shortcomings and created a meaningful life for themselves and the people around them.

Their accomplishments are an inspiration to everyone.

Scientist Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking, born in Oxford, UK, in 1942, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) when he was 21, a motor neuron disease that gradually left him almost completely paralysed. A tracheotomy operation in 1985 removed his ability to speak altogether.

Despite his severe disability, Hawking’s scientific work and research have contributed greatly to the fields of cosmology, theoretical physics and quantum gravity, especially in the context of black holes.

Hawking has 12 honorary degrees and has authored many acclaimed publications. He is the recipient of many awards, medals and prizes, among them the CBE award in 1982, the Companion of Honour in 1989 and presented with the National Medal of Freedom in 2009, the highest civilian honour awarded in America. He is also a Fellow of The Royal Society, UK, and a Member of the US National Academy of Sciences.

Tuah Atan

Lawyer Tuah Atan was born without legs and has a deformed left hand.

Despite being born without legs and a deformed left hand, civil and syariah lawyer Tuah Atan, 50, who hails from Tanjung Kling, Malacca has been an active advocate for disabled people in Malaysia. A law graduate from Universiti Malaya, Tuah was instrumental in drafting the Disabled Persons Act 2007.

For his services, Tuah was accorded the Guinness Award 1998, Junior Chambers Youth Award 1995, Malacca Human Resource Award (disabled person category), Malacca Disabled Person Award and Malacca Tokoh Maal Hijrah (professional category) 1996 and Tokoh Maal Hijrah (disabled person category) 2008.

Henry Wayoinke

Kenyan-born Henry Wayoinke lost his eyesight in 1995, at age 21, after suffering a stroke. Despite being blind, Wayoinke held fast to his dream of becoming a successful runner. With the help of his childhood friend Joseph Kibunja as his guide, he went on to win many gold medals in the Paralympic Games, setting and holding world records.

Blind runner Henry Wayoinke (right) from Kenya.

Besides excelling in athletics, Wanyoinke is a respected philanthropist. He is involved in various charitable activities in Kenya, particularly to assist the poor, persons with disabilities, orphans and other less privileged people. His Henry Wanyoike Foundation was set up to assist disabled people, orphans, vulnerable children and youths and families in need.

He is also a Goodwill Ambassador for Standard Chartered Bank’s “Seeing is Believing” campaign that seeks to restore the sight of the visually impaired around the world.

Nick Vujicic

Nick Vujicic, born without arms and legs, is a motivational speaker and author.

Nick Vujicic was born in Brisbane, Australia in 1982 without any arms or legs. He has two small feet, one of which has two toes. Throughout his childhood, he struggled with loneliness and depression but as time went by, he turned towards God to give him hope.

Vujicic started a non-profit organisation Life Without Limbs when he was 19, giving motivational talks and sharing on how God changed his life and gave him a future of hope.

At 28, Vujicic has accomplished more than most people do in a lifetime, travelling around the world inspiring millions, from teenagers to international corporations. He published his first book this year Life Without Limits: Inspiration for a Ridiculously Good Life.

Liu Wei

Liu Wei lost both his arms at age 10 when he was electrocuted during a game of hide-and-seek. His dreams of becoming a musician led to him learning to play the piano with his feet at 19. His hard work paid off when only four years later at 23, he impressed the audiences and judges of China’s Got Talent Show with his moving performance and won the title in Oct 2010.

Pianist Liu Wei who is armless, plays piano with his toes.

Among his many uplifting quotes that touched the hearts of audiences worldwide were, “At least I have a pair of perfect legs” and “There are only two paths in life — either to give up and die, or to live a brilliant life as much as is possible.”

Friday December 3, 2010

The role of local councils to create a disabled-friendly society

By ANTHONY THANASAYAN

As the country celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities today, we look at the role of local councils in the making of a disabled-friendly society.

THIS year’s celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities is cause for double joy for me as a person who has lived with a disability all my life. This is because I turned 50 last month on Nov 21.

Turning 50 is a big achievement for anybody, especially when they have been told they would never make it that far. The doctors told my parents that because of my congenital condition known as spina bifida, I would not make it past adolescence. Well, here I am, proving those clueless doctors wrong.

More bad luck struck when I was 10 years old. I was forced to go for a leg operation to straighten my knee so that I could use callipers to walk. However, it made my legs worse as I lost whatever sensations I had earlier.

Again, some bad doctors were clearly using me as a guinea pig in the hope of becoming famous, if the operation was a success.

I had to stop schooling at Standard Four because the school authorities said they my wheelchair could not fit in the classrooms and toilets. And I couldn’t get out of my house because the whole environment was hostile to my wheelchair.

There were no pavements in Klang, Selangor, where I lived; and if there were, I couldn’t get my wheelchair on it. Once a car grazed the side of my wheelchair and damaged the wheel. I was about 10 years old then, and my grandmother was pushing my wheelchair. It was a terrifying experience for both of us.

Thoughtful move: There are ample parking lots for the disabled at Sunway Carnival Mall Seberang Jaya.

During my teenage years I moved to Petaling Jaya. However, the situation was worse in the neighbourhood’s public park.

I couldn’t access it for years because the local council kept the gates closed except to their official vehicles. There were no kerb cuts in the pavements. Even if someone carried my wheelchair on it, it was of no use. The pathway would suddenly narrow down to a point where only one person could get through, or a lamp post or some other hindrance would appear right in front of you.

Despite the fact that many of the shops were near my house, I could not access any of them because of the many steps and uneven floor levels in the buildings. All these made me very depressed. However, I soon discovered that all these negative thoughts that society was feeding into my mind was really a big lie.

My break came when I took part in an exchange programme and went to live in the city of Eugene in Oregon, the United States, for a month. It was a wheelchair heaven for people with disabilities. I took my first bus ride there. The buses were equipped with wheelchair lifts. These amazing gizmos would magically unfold from the vehicles at the push of a button.

The pavements were fully accessible to wheelchairs. I could go into supermarkets and virtually every public building; doors would open automatically when I approached or at the push of a button. Some were even voice-activated. Wheelchair-accessible toilets and proper ramps were available everywhere.

Although most Americans were always ready to lend a hand to anyone in a wheelchair, there was no need for it because of the accessibility all around.

The biggest thing that I learnt from my stay in Eugene was that I was not the problem – society was! This was because society failed to provide the necessary facilities for all its citizens. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I was appointed as a councillor in the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).

My first task was to get an active disability team into the council in order to provide vital information regarding their many needs.

The MBPJ’s special committee today has representatives with a wide range of disabilities. We have the blind, Deaf, people with learning disabilities, stroke patients and even those with mental illness. These people would be in the best position to articulate their needs. We have also included caregivers of disabled persons.

One of the unique things we have considered is building shelters for car parks for the disabled so that users can be protected from the elements, considering the extra time they need to get in and out of their vehicles.

All new buildings will have to come to our committee first for approval of their disabled-friendly facilities before they get the green light to proceed with their projects from a higher committee.

The MBPJ is also making a special effort to ensure that homes for the disabled and elderly are fully equipped with proper features for the benefit of every user.

One of our proudest achievements is a 500m stretch of pavement along Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya, that is universally-designed. It is 90% complete. Once it is ready, everybody – from the elderly with walking difficulties to mothers with prams, children and the blind – will stand to benefit from it.

However, there were some opposition to the project, with some saying that it was a waste of money. Some of these complainants are more than 60 years old. Don’t they realise that they are growing older by the day and could very well become disabled, too, following a heart attack, stroke or some other condition?

It is high time that all of us realise that disabilities are increasing rather than decreasing, and that it is a natural aspect of the human condition. Rather than pretending that it doesn’t exist through fear or ignorance, all councils should start planning for the aging citizens in society. To do that, it is vital for all the departments in the councils to coordinate their efforts to see each and every project through.

As a disabled activist, I used to think that the answer towards creating a disabled-friendly world lay with the welfare ministry or even the Prime Minister. Now I realise the answer lies with each and every local government. It is these institutions which hold the keys to a better future for all disabled Malaysians.

And the first step towards bringing about effective change is to involve the disabled community in consultation with the local councils.

My wish today is that every local council in the country will set up a disabled committee of their own with active participation from the handicapped community to bring about a better future for the latter

Sambutan Hari Orang Kurang Upaya 2010

Sambutan Hari Orang Kurang Upaya 2010

SAMBUTAN HARI ORANG KURANG UPAYA PERINGKAT KEBANGSAAN KE-17 TAHUN 2010

Jabatan akan menganjurkan Hari Kurang Upaya Peringkat Kebangsaan ke-17 Tahun 2010

Tarikh : 11 Disember 2010 (Sabtu)
Masa : 8.00 pagi - 5.00 petang
Tempat : Kota Fesyen, Air Keroh, Melaka
Perasmi : YB Senator Dato' Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
Tema : "1 Malaysia : Aksesibiliti dan Pekerjaan Untuk OKU"

Sebarang maklumat lanjut sila hubungi :-

Urusetia Hari Orang Kurang Upaya :-

1) En Sulaiman bin Ismail - 03-26165662
2) En Zulkifli bin Ismail - 03-26165661

Saturday November 27, 2010

Chance for disabled to showcase their talents

PUTRAJAYA: More than 500 disabled people will gather at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 4 for an event that will showcase their products and talents.

Organised by the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti), the carnival aims to encourage community rehabilitation centres to produce quality products to generate income for the disabled.

Bakti president Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor said it would also be a platform for managers of such centres to exchange ideas, views and experiences.

“While it is a challenge to organise such an event as these groups need extra and special attention, Bakti is happy to help bring together more than 500 disabled people to get them closer to the mainstream community,” she told a press conference here yesterday.

Showing compassion: Rosmah speaking about the carnival at the press conference accompanied by Bakti treasurer Datin Seri Lee Sun Loo and Semai Bakti programme organising secretary Datin Seri Dr Mizan Adiliah in Putrajaya Friday.

Rosmah, the wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, said the carnival came under the banner of the association’s Semai Bakti programme, which runs educational and recreational activities for disabled people.

“We want to show there are people who care and support the disabled and that they (the disabled) too have the opportunity to excel,” she said, adding the event would be launched by the Prime Minister.

Rosmah said the carnival would be held from 8am to 6pm, followed by a talent competition for the disabled. The winner will take home the Prime Minister’s Challenge Trophy.

Both events will be telecast live over RTM.

Saturday November 27, 2010

Underpass not friendly to disabled

By ELAN PERUMAL
elan@thestar.com.my

THE contractor of the newly-completed flyover at Persiaran Sultan Ibrahim in Klang has come under fire for failing to provide facilities for the disabled at its pedestrian underpass in the area.

The Disabled Association of Klang has taken SPAZ Sdn Bhd to task for failing to keep to its promise.

Its chairman, Allan Tan, who is also a Klang municipal councillor, said SPAZ had agreed that the pedestrian underpass would be built with consideration given to the wheelchair-bound and people on crutches.

No help: The path that leads to the underpass does not have railings to support the disabled.

Tan said the underpass had failed to link the Mydin complex with a platform that would enable those on wheelchair to cross over.

He said a ramp should have been built so that the disabled would be provided with access to the underpass.

Tan said it had not been provided with hand railing and the path to the underpass was steep.

“It is dangerous for the wheelchair-bound to go up and down the steep path.

“Even people pushing the wheelchairs will find it difficult to go up the slope,’’ he said.

Huff and puff: Tan demonstrating how difficult it is to go up the steep path.

He said the council had made it clear that the underpass must be disabled-friendly.

“It is the responsibility of the government to cater to the needs of everyone, especially for public facilities,’’ he added.

Tan said the council had brought the matter to the attention of the contractor.

The underpass was built as part of the RM32.3mil flyover which connected Persiaran Sultan Ibrahim to the Kota Bridge.

The work on the flyover, which included the construction of a new roundabout near the Metro Plaza, was completed after a year’s delay.

World Hunger Relief Programme 2010 via a charity walk organized by KFC Holdings (M) Bhd.

Last month, October 30, 2010, ILTC were invited to the World Hunger Relief Programme 2010 via a charity walk organized by KFC Holdings (M) Bhd.

Over 5,000 people turned up near the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya.

The charity walk themed ‘Be The Movement’, was the culmination of a fund-raising effort by KFC and Pizza Hut Malaysia, which helped to raise over RM1.5mil to assist the United Nations World Food programme.

Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin was the guest of honour at the charity walk.

Nong Chik (second from right) and Muhammad Ali (right, in yellow) flagging off the participants for the charity walk.

Raja Nong Chik and Muhammad Ali later flagged off the 3km and 5km charity walk, and also a 40-tonne World Hunger Relief trailer to carry supplies and contributions to be distributed for hunger relief work in various parts of the world.

KFC Holdings (M) Bhd chairman Tan Sri Datuk Muhammad Ali Hashim also contributed to ILTC RM5000.00 under the corporate social responsibility.

Infra OKU dipertingkat

25/11/2010

Tuesday November 16, 2010

No progress in CBR programmes after three years

By IZATUN SHARI
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: There has been no improvement in community-based rehabilitation (CBR) programmes for disabled persons despite RM64mil being allocated three years ago, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

She lamented that until now there was no specialised work to upgrade facilities for disabled people like many other Asia-Pacific countries.

She added that she would personally monitor the programmes from now on through monthly meetings with disabled development department directors and social welfare officers.

She would also oversee the economic empowerment programmes to tap the potential of disabled persons and ensure that CBR centre staff be trained to use new technology for communication to help the disabled.

Special conference: Shahrizat (right) chatting with the participants during the convention Monday.

Shahrizat said the CBR centres should be easily accessible to disabled persons and alternative communication for the disabled should be looked into in view of the IT era.

“I’m not happy. The CBR has yet to improve the disabled facilities despite the CBR transformation plan, which kicked off three years ago,” she told newsmen after closing the Asia Pacific Convention on CBR here yesterday.

Shahrizat also expressed disappointment with employers for not recruiting disabled persons and not providing disabled-friendly facilities for them.

“It is regrettable since Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s administration emphasises inclusiveness, disabled persons are not given their proper place,” she said.

Currently, there are 428 CBR centres nationwide with 1,654 workers handling 18,943 disabled persons.

On the proposal to introduce sex education to kindergarten children next year, Shahrizat said her ministry would have another round of meetings with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The teaching modules and syllabus were already in place, but had yet to be finalised.

“Tan Sri Muhyiddin will make the announcement on the matter,” she said

Thursday November 18, 2010

Stop the shooting

There is an urgent need for a Bill to protect animals.

THE senseless and cruel shooting of a therapy dog in Ipoh recently was a big setback for Petpositive, an animal-assisted therapy organisation for the disabled and elderly.

The canine, Spunk, was shot dead by the local council (MBI). Spunk belonged to a 75-year-old retired teacher living in Taman Merdeka.

The courageous canine lived up to his name in every way. For 10 years, Spunk served as a faithful watchdog and kept his owner company after her husband passed away. Before anyone – or anything, for that matter – could even approach the front gate, Spunk was already there. This kept his owner safe and secure, especially during the night.

Spunk was also the elderly woman’s best defence against loneliness. He provided her with the motivation to exercise as she had to take him for his daily walks.

From what I heard from the owner, Spunk was also very popular with the neighbours. They all loved him.

In spite of her age, Spunk’s owner was a responsible pet owner. She would always bring along tissues to pick up her dog’s poo whenever they were out for walks.

However, on the morning of Oct 30, she forgot the tissues and went back into the house to get them, leaving Spunk at the gate.

Unfortunately, at that time the dog-shooters were doing their rounds. Seeing their vehicle, Spunk panicked and fled for his life.

Instead of exercising discretion in the situation, they hunted down the dog and shot him in cold blood. They showed no mercy even though Spunk had a valid dog licence around his neck.

His death made a mockery of the laws of the land which required that pet dogs be registered.

To make matters worse, the MBI quickly carted off the carcass before Spunk’s owner could see him. All that was left were traces of her best buddy’s blood splattered on the road.

Does the MBI realise what they have done? Not only have they robbed an elderly person of a friend and companion, but by carting the animal away without allowing her to see it, they have also denied her the chance to properly grieve over the loss of her dog.

Now she is left alone in an empty house filled with memories of Spunk.

And to think that we consider ourselves far superior to other living things.

Even animals in the wild take time to grieve over a loss at the risk of being consumed by predators in the process.

This brings me to the second incident: the passing away of Dusty, one of the few service dogs in the country.

Dusty passed away on Nov 6, and was buried in the compound of his home in a centre for the disabled where he had served for the past 10 years.

The Golden Retriever was a source of joy and inspiration to the residents at the centre.

“Dusty was trained to seek help from our neighbours in times of emergency,” said one of the residents at the centre.

Last week, a group of animal rights activists – including the disabled in wheelchairs – met up with Veterinary Services Department director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin in Putrajaya.

Following the meeting, the DG agreed to an immediate ban on dog-shooting in the country.

A protem Animal Welfare Council will be convened next Thursday. It will be chaired by Dr Abdul Aziz, who had mooted the idea.

The council will cover all aspects of animal welfare. Its main agenda is to push for the first-ever Animal Welfare Bill to protect all animals.

Wednesday November 17, 2010

Ipoh bans shooting of strays

IPOH: The Ipoh City Council has banned the shooting of stray animals with immediate effect.

Council secretary Datuk Abdul Rahim Md Ariff conveyed this decision to a group of animal activists who met him yesterday to hand over a memorandum calling for the ban.

This followed the shooting of Spunk, a 10-year-old dog who was left unattended by its owner here on Oct 29.

Fighting for animal rights: Anthony handing over the memorandum on behalf of the other NGOs to Abdul Rahim during a meeting Tuesday. With them are Dr Ranjit (right) and ISPCA adviser Dr Goh Hue Lang (third from right).

The killing of the therapy dog drew flak from animal lovers and NGOs.

T. Anthony Siva Balan, president of the animal-friendly group Petpositive, said the council had agreed to stop shooting strays and instead use other methods to deal with them.

He said the council would send its officers to Petaling Jaya next week to learn dog-catching methods used by the city council there.

Anthony, a PJ city councillor, said Ipoh was also studying ways to set up an animal pound to keep animals caught in the streets.

He added the Ipoh council would also work with NGOs in dealing with strays.

“A committee set up by the council will discuss methods such as neutering and spaying the animals,” said Anthony, adding that the Ipoh mayor or his representative would visit the 75-year-old owner of Spunk to apologise for the shooting.

Noah’s Ark Ipoh founder and treasurer Dr Ranjit Kaur Mendhir said she was delighted that things had worked out well after the meeting with the council secretary.

Therapy Dog Spunk A Canine Hero Now

Story Courtesy from Petpositive

Therapy Dog Spunk A Canine Hero Now

DATELINE: IPOH, PERAK

ALL IT TOOK WAS FIFTEEN MINUTES.

AND HISTORY WAS CREATED FOR ANIMAL- LOVERS IN THE CITY OF IPOH - ONCE FAMOUS FOR ITS TIN MINE INDUSTRY.

That's the incredibly short time that the Ipoh City Council (MBI) gave the animal and disability rights delegation (that's us!) when we met them yesterday - after making us wait for almost an hour!

However, what we initially thought was going to turn out to be a a disastrous event amazingly worked to our favour when MBI secretary Datuk Abdul Md Ariff started to warm up to our concerns minutes before he left.

He announced the immediate cessation of dog-shooting after we unequivocally expressed our outrage at the shooting-to-death of a therapy dog belonging to an elderly PETPOSITIVE member on October 30th last month.

The groups that were represented at yesterday's meeting were Petpositive from Kuala Lumpur, Independent Living and Training Centre, Rawang, Selangor, SPCA Selangor, Noah's Ark of Ipoh (protem), Ipoh SPCA and Ipoh Animal Welfare Society.

There were three representatives from the Department of Veterinary Services from Perak who played an instrumental role in helping the council to decide on the ban on dog-shooting.

Ipoh, here we come!

The journey to Ipoh from Petaling Jaya began at 7.30 in the morning. Francis Siva from the ILTC (left) and I were worried about our stomachs playing up at the last minute. Fortunately for us, no such disaster happened.

Say "cheese" everybody!

The news-starving cameramen insisted that we take a photo-shoot outside the MBI before our meeting. We cordially obliged not knowing what was going to happen next.

Powwow before the battle

Yours Truly as leader of the group had to make sure we clarified our goals of what we wanted that money. No point in contradicting anyone and confusing the council.

No telling what was going to happen

The arrangement of the discussion table seemed to be something like a war zones. Was worried if there was going to be shouting matches, etc.

Memorandum Handover

Datuk Rahim makes the first move. He walks down from his podium to greet his guests in wheelchairs. We take the opportunity to collectively hand over the memorandum.

The press conference after the meeting

The media couldn't wait to talk to us. We announce the good news - half believing ourselves what we had heard. The MBI responded warmly. Dog-shooting was off. They said they were sorry and would get in touch with the elderly woman who lost Spunk. Amazingly, a stray dog had given his life so that other strays could live on without fear of being brutally murdered.

Lunch with Noah's Ark, Ipoh

Had a terrific Chinese lunch. From left: Malika Ramiah, President of Noah's Ark, Dr Ranjit Kaur (Treasurer) and Francis Siva (Petpositive Adviser and President of ILTC.

"V" is for VICTORY!

Another one for the album outside the Chinese restaurant. (Far left: Vice President of Noah's Ark Jayamalar Jeyaratnam, Noah's Ark animal rescuer Victor (in singlet) and standing second to right, ILTC volunteer.)

At limestone heaven: ISPCA shelter

No victory can be complete if not shared with a special friend. This little pup from the ISPCA is moving on to his new owners soon. We simply couldn't resist the temptation to have him in our picture to make it - and our trip complete.

Monday November 15, 2010

Groups to form animal council

By ISABELLE LAI
isabellelai@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Animal welfare groups will come together in Putrajaya on Nov 25 to form a national council to push for the creation of an Animal Welfare Bill.

Petpositive president Anthony Thanasayan said the formation of the council, which was initiated by the Veterinary Services De­­partment, was propelled by the recent shooting of licensed therapy dog Spunk by Ipoh City Council dog catchers.

“Spunk did it all, even in death. He has spurred us to take action and do something to help all the other animals,” he said in an interview here yesterday.

The council will have its first pro tem meeting on that day.

It was reported that 10-year-old Spunk was shot dead after its 75-year-old owner left it unattended for a while to get toilet paper to clean after the animal.

He said the council’s top priority was the creation of the Animal Welfare Bill.

“This will drastically improve the well-being of animals, especially strays or abused ones,” he said, adding that the council’s formation was awaiting approval from the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry.

“I will definitely urge for a special licence to be given to therapy dogs, which forbids dog catchers to grab them off the street or harm them in any way,” said Anthony, who heads the animal-assisted therapy organisation for the disabled and elderly.

He said every aspect of animal care would be discussed by the council, from issues such as slaughtering animals in a humane manner and treatment of livestock to domestic animal care.

Other non-governmental associations taking part in the meeting are the KL Animal Welfare Society, the Ipoh Animal Welfare Society, Noah’s Ark Ipoh and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Ipoh and Selangor.

Anthony said Petpositive and other NGOs would also be meeting with Ipoh City Council officials on Tuesday to present Spunk’s case.

“We will request an end to the shooting of animals and advise the council to implement more educational programmes such as teaching people about responsible pet ownership,” he said.

He added that they would also push for a committee to be formed by the council for canine issues and request that funds be set aside for it to build its own dog pound.

Equal rights for disabled too

Equal rights for disabled too

Saturday, November 13th, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is commited to ensuring that the disabled enjoy equal rights as normal people, in all aspects of life, including employment and accessibility.

Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie said, in all national commitments and government policies, the rights of the disabled to have access to employment were constituted.

She said Article 9 of the Convention on the Rights of the Disabled and Section 29 of the Disabled Persons Act 2008 stated the rights of a disabled person to have access to employment on par with others.

To realise these aspirations and objectives, Heng said numerous strategies and programmes were planned and implemented by the government, which included ensuring the placement of disabled people in the civil service and private sector.

The deputy minister was speaking at the opening of the Asia-Pacific Community Based Rehabilition Convention 2010 here today.

The government through its agencies, has also improved on the support system such as job coaching to ensure the disabled obtain employment and remain employed; enhancing training programmes and financing micro credit to assist the disabled in conducting businesses, and offering tax reduction to employers on the cost of renovation to work premises for disabled employees to encourage the private sector to employ more disabled people.

At the same time, the ministry also provided assistance through the soho (small office home office) programme to encourage the disabled to work from home.

Heng said, organising the inaugural convention which was participated by 31 countries, was in accordance with the Government's commitment to empower the people with the 1Malaysia spirit.

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.