Council's move lauded

2011/02/15

Council's move lauded

The disabled are applauding the council's effort to provide the necessary facilities for the group. They hoped that in future, local councils would not take too much time to ensure that public facilities were also disabled-friendly.

Francis Siva suggests disabled-friendly toilets, shelter from the elements.

Independent Living and Training Centre president Francis Siva welcomed the upgrades. He suggested that the parks be also equipped with disabled-friendly toilets, have road accessibility and shelter from the elements.

Gurdip Kaur is glad that the disabled can now enjoy a more active lifetstyle.

Gurdip Kaur, a former Selayang Municipal councillor who is wheelchair-bound, was elated that the park now allowed thedisabled to enjoy an active lifestyle.

Anthony Siva Balan Thanasayan, says the upgrade shows th e council’s commitment.

MBPJ Zone 13 councillor Anthony Siva Balan Thanasayan, who oversees Section 6, said the upgrade showed the council's commitment of to bring a change to the disabled.

Section 6 neighbourhood watch committee chairman Rajesh Mansukhlal said the disabled-friendly parks would also benefit the elderly as they could now venture into the park without fear of snatch thieves, who commonly operate on motorcycles.

Read more: Council's move lauded http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/gooku2/Article#ixzz1E6Q6ntDF

MBPJ First To Build Disabled Friendly Park

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

MBPJ First To Build Disabled Friendly Park - NST

PETALING JAYA: The wheelchair-bound in the city can now look forward to a day in the park as the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) is embarking on a mission to make its parks accessible to the disabled.

For a start, MBPJ has installed a small neighbourhood park in Jalan 6/14 with disabled-friendly features such as ramps for easy mobility, tactile flooring for the blind, accessible entrances and wider footways.

Mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman said the upgrade was a first for state municipalities, and part of MBPJ's corporate social responsibility effort to make PJ a barrier-free city for the disabled.

"This park will be a model for the rest of the public parks in the municipality, and the design will be according to global standards that prioritise user-friendly features," said Roslan.

He hoped the disabled and elderly would use the parks for recreation and socialising.

Roslan said PJ had over 400 parks but only 384 parks were under the council. The rest were under development or were yet to be surrendered to the council.

He said RM1.5 million had been set aside this year for the maintenance of the parks. This includes the repair and replacement of park equipment and playground amenities.

A big concern, said Roslan, was vandalism. He urged the community to share the responsibility of caring for and protecting the facilities.

The council has placed metal bars poles with width fit for wheelchairs at the appropriate entrances of the park as a measure to block motorcyclists from entering the park.

"I hope the residents will adopt the park as their own and together, safeguard it from being vandalised," said Roslan at the disabled-friendly park, which was launched by state exco for tourism, consumer affairs and environment Elizabeth Wong.

Wong and Roslan placed the disabled sign at the entrance of the park to mark it as a disabled-friendly park.

Wong said the council's move to make its parks disabled-friendly was a ground- breaking achievement.

MBPJ landscaping department director Zuraidah Sainan the council had made it compulsory for developers to allot 10 per cent of land for open space and to equip the development with disabled-friendly

Sunday February 13, 2011

Ministry finalising new set of rules for welfare homes, says Shahrizat

By P. ARUNA
aruna@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: A new set of guidelines is being finalised by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to step up enforcement against the rising cases of abuse and negligence in welfare homes.

“The guidelines are to ensure that welfare home operators abide by existing laws pertaining to the welfare of their residents,” said minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

She said the government would not tolerate any form of abuse or negligence and urged welfare home operators and caretakers to be more responsible towards the people under their care.

She called on the public to immediately report to the ministry if they suspect residents of orphanages or old folks’ homes were being abused or neglected.

“Prevention is the way to go.

Speaking up: The young lawyers and chambering students of loyarburuk (from left) Bon, Van Geyzel, Azira, Fahri and Leu have opened an avenue for the young to voice their thoughts.

“We don’t want to only take action after a child is abused,” she said, adding that the ministry would soon be meeting with welfare home operators to brief them on the new guidelines.

Shahrizat said this after launching charity initiative “Mari Beramal Bersama Colgate” which saw the company donate RM200,000 to 12 charity homes in the country.

Local Councils In S'gor To Set Up Disability Committees By Feb End

Story & Pictures Courtesy from Petpositive

Local Councils In S'gor To Set Up Disability Committees By Feb End

aNt, Sharipah & Ronnie with guidebook

DATELINE SELANGOR STATE SECRETARIAT OFFICE, SHAH ALAM:

MALAYSIANS WITH DISABILITIES in Selangor have good reason for plenty of cheer on this Chinese Lunar New Year.

They will finally be able to see some positive changes happening for them in the state soon.

Disabled directive

All 12 local councils in Selangor have been ordered to set up disability committees within a month as part of the state government's plan to improve the quality of lives of disabled Malaysians in towns and cities.

The instructions, which came from Selangor's local council (PBT) chief Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew on Monday last week in an official meeting of local councils, gives each PBTs one month to comply with the directive.

MBPJ Disabled Committee on the ground

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), however, has been exempted from the ruling as they already have a very active disability committee going within its council since the Pakatan government was formed in 2008.

All the 11 other councils will have to set up their committees by the end of February next month.

Technical advice to KTM

Those that have been meeting irregularly will have to meet more regularly now.

They will have to actively include and work with people with disabilities with all types of categories at least once a month.

This is so as to make sure that the agenda for the handicapped in each local councils are actively pursued within the local government.

MBPJ's disabled committee in progress

This development came about after town planning expert Sharipah Marhaini and MBPJ Councillor met up with Liu on January 21 at his office.

Marhaini handed over to him a detailed guidebook on how local councils can effectively set up disability committees of their own.

This will be handed to every local councils soon.

The MBPJ's Technical Committee for Disability will be launched after Chinese New Year and a special seminar for all local councils in Selangor on disability will be held soon after.

Find and arrest duo, pet lovers urge cops

Friday January 28, 2011

Find and arrest duo, pet lovers urge cops

By STEVEN CHIEW

KUALA LUMPUR: More groups have lodged reports urging police to track down and arrest the two people implicated in the dog abuse video.

They also want the police to immediately rescue the dog if it is still alive.

The report was lodged by Malaysian Animal Rights Society president N. Surendran, who also represented the Malaysian Animal Welfare Society, Independent Living & Training Centre and Lawyers for Liberty at the Dang Wangi police headquarters here yesterday.

Surendran said Bukit Aman should set up a task force jointly with the Veterinary Services Department to investigate and prosecute the two.

“The duo should be penalised because if they could do this to an animal, they could do it to anybody.

“The fact that they posed with the puppy showed they were confident no action would be taken against them,” he added.

Surendran also said the Veterinary Services Department was not doing enough to protect animals.

“If no action is taken after lodging the report, we will look for the two people involved, arrest them and hand them over to the police,” he added.

He described the acts caught on the video as one of the worst cases of animal abuse he had ever seen.

The groups also called on the Government to amend the law to provide better protection for pets from being abused.

In the video, a man is seen using brute force on a poodle in an attempt to force the dog to stand on its hind legs

More police reports by animal lovers

More groups are urging the police to track down and arrest the two people implicated in the dog abuse video.

You Tube video above is from The Star.

Hunt the poodle abusers within 24 hours – or risk vigilante action!

Hunt the poodle abusers within 24 hours – or risk vigilante action!

Submitted by Najiah on Thursday, January 27th, 2011

THASHA JAYAMANOGARAN

Thursday, January 27th, 2011 18:02:00

24-HOUR ULTIMATUM: Surendran (standing, fifth from left) and other representatives of animal welfare and animal right groups showing their support at the Dang Wangi police headquarters this morning — Pic: Razak Ghazali

KUALA LUMPUR: Animal lovers have vowed vigilante action against a couple involved in the torture of a poodle as efforts intensified to save the cuddly dog.

Representatives of animal welfare and animal rights groups told The Malay Mail today that they would hunt the couple if the authorities failed to take any action within 24 hours.

They said the couple who had been implicated in the “Save the Poodle” Facebook groups should be hauled up for questioning by the police and the Veterinary Services Department.

This morning, Malaysian Animal Rights Society (ROAR) president, N .Surendran, lodged a police report on the abuse of the poodle at the Dang Wangi police station.

The report was also made on behalf of Petpositive, Malaysian Animal Welfare Society (MAW), Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) and Lawyers for Liberty (LFL).

In the report, the groups urged the police to immediately track down and arrest two suspects in connection with the torture of a small brown poodle.

The video of a man with tattoos on his arms filmed by a woman had gone viral and triggered angry reaction from animal lovers, including from abroad.

One woman from California even offered a reward leading to the arrests of the abusers.

It is not known when this cruel act occurred but animal lovers stand firm that it was not about when it happened, rather about the cruelty that was “shocking and despicable”.

The identity and whereabouts of the alleged abusers were also revealed and passed on the police.

Surendran told The Paper That Cares that he was disappointed with the Veterinary Services Department for failing to respond quickly to public uproar.

He said the police had also failed to investigate the matter promptly under Section 44 of the Animal Act 1953.

Petpositive president, T. Anthony, said animal abuse was getting bolder because of the authorities’ ignorance.

“Poodle is one of the best partners for the disabled as they are hearing dogs and help in our quality living,” said Anthony, who feels the act was boldly recorded because the abuser thought the authorities would not waste time with such cases.

He said: “Are dogs dangerous to humans or are humans dangerous to them?”

The 15-minute video clip continues to be the most viewed this week. It shows a man hitting, choking and throwing the dog across a room in a bid to teach it to stand on its hind legs.

It began as a link on Facebook by a woman who apparently found a pen drive containing the video clip at a mall recently. It went viral after it was posted on YouTube.

Latest checks show that “Save the Poodle” groups on facebook are fast growing.

One such site, Andrew & Michelle's "Save the Poodle" Mission on Facebook garnered hundreds of supporters shortly after it was set up on Tuesday.

The creator, identifying himself as Andrew Boey, said he had viewed the video clip several times and had highlighted several "clues", including the tattoo on the man's arm, so he could be identified.

Boey had posted several updates from SPCA Selangor and SPCA Singapore.

READ: Maximum fine likely to go up from RM200 to RM50,000

ANIMAL RIGHTS & welfare groups (Independent Living & Training Centre) to make police report @ IPD Dang Wangi KL at 11.30am tomorrow, Thursday. Details: 012-220 3146

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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Howls over dog-beater video

By JOSHUA FOONG
PETALING JAYA: A video of a man abusing a dog has sparked a heated response from canine lovers on social networking site Facebook and triggered a nationwide hunt for him.

In the widely-circulated video, the unidentified man, believed to be a Malaysian, is seen using brutal force on a poodle in his attempt to get the dog to stand up on its hind legs.

Some of those who viewed the video have said the man is a Malaysian.

Several people also claimed to know his close friends.

Harsh lessons: The poodle being abused by the unidentified man in the video.

In one scene, when the dog returned to standing on its four legs, the man in frustration gave it a violent smack, sending the poodle flying.

The Facebook user who uploaded the 15-minute video last Friday said she had discovered it in a thumbdrive which she had found in a Kuala Lumpur shopping mall.

Thousands of animal lovers, shocked and angered by the man’s act, immediately called for his arrest.

“This is an outrage! Swift action ought to be taken on this man,” one Facebook user commented.

“The guy in the video is crazy to have done such a thing to the helpless animal,” another said. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is getting complaints and leads from callers.

“We have been receiving a lot of calls on the matter but we have no confirmation on the man’s identity,” SPCA office manager M. Shelvy said.

She also asked those with information to call the SPCA at 03-42565312 or 03-42535179.

Disabled see red over suspension of aid

G Vinod

| January 25, 2011

The Welfare Department suspends the aid to check on the employment status of the recipients, but this has landed many in a financial quandary.

PETALING JAYA: The disabled are upset with the Welfare Department for suspending their monthly disabled workers allowance (EPC) without any proper notice since December.

The RM300 aid is given to employed disabled people earning less than RM1,200 a month.

Fearing repercussions, many of the disabled people who aired their grouses to FMT wished to remain anonymous.

According to one of them, who is self-employed, he had gone to the Federal Territories Department to check on the matter when he did not receive the money.

“They said it was because I did not submit any letters confirming my employment since 1993,” added the 40-year-old wheelchair-bound individual, whose wife is also disabled.

He said an officer claimed that without any proof of his employment, the department could not determine if the money was taken by him or others.

“It was illogical for them to say that. The bank requires my thumbprint on some forms before I can withdraw the money. So who is going to fake my thumbrint?” he said.

After submitting his documents two weeks ago, the department promised that the oustanding payment would be credited into his account in two months.

“They should have notified us properly, instead of just stopping the payment. Many of us are dependent on this aid,” he said.

Another recipient, a visually impaired father, also saw red over the matter, saying that he was finding it difficult to make ends meet.

The 48-year-old masseur, whose wife was also visually impaired, said the couple relied on both their allowances to settle their utility bills.

“I haven’t paid my electricity and water bills. I need to buy books and stationery for my son who is in school. Now everything is stuck.

“They think just because we are disabled, they can do anything to us, and we won’t complain. We are not beggars, but we need the money to run our families. We are not rich,” he said.

“Perhaps they are using the money for the Tenang by-election,” he added.

Proper notification should have been given

Commenting on the matter, Independent Living and Training Centre president Francis Siva said his organisation had met with Federal Territories Welfare Department officers last year to iron out several issues.

Among them being the Welfare Department redirecting the funds to the Treasury if the recipient did not collect it within 10 days.

“However, we argued that not everyone can take the money out on time especially those who are bed-ridden,” he said.

Siva added that the officials then promised that the money would not be taken out but now this issue had cropped up.

He also condemned the Welfare Department for only allocating RM150 for disabled people who could not work.

“The working ones get RM300 but those who cannot work only get RM150. Something is wrong with their mindset,” he said.

Siva said that more aid should be given to those who cannot work, especially those who were bed-ridden, as the latter normally required additional medical assistance.

“They need to purchase food, medicine, diapers and other things. Without money, many disabled people are driven to commit suicide,” said Siva, who himself had friends who took their own lives.

Marginalised minorities to form power bloc

23/01/2011

Marginalised minorities to form power bloc

Hazlan Zakaria (Malaysiakini)

Smarting under the yoke of what they claimed to be the 53-year tyranny of BN’s “majority rule” and whetted by the tsunami of 2008, minority groups have banded together, hoping to create a new power bloc in Malaysian politics.

What they are trying to recreate, though on a much grander scale, is the flashpoint ignited by Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) and the free and fair elections advocacy group Bersih, which many believed swayed the last general election.

Both NGOs were responsible for galvanising the groundswell of public support that was said to have helped reverse BN’s once hegemonic hold on the two-thirds majority in Parliament and as well as wrest control of five states.

The 2008 experience has proven that small dedicated groups of minorities can cause a lot of waves if they work together.

It is towards this government-influencing, if not government changing critical mass that a collage of self-described “marginalised minorities” has decided to embark upon.

“We have suffered from the centrifugal force which continues to victimise us. We need a change,” said moderator N Ganesan (left) at the National Human Rights Conference on The Future of Marginalised Communities in Malaysia at the KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall today.

Hailing from the length and breadth of the Borneo isle and the peninsula, the panel for today’s discussion included representatives of groups contending that they have been disenfranchised – the Indians, Dayaks, Orang Aslis and the disabled.

However, this time, they have decided not to peg their hopes on any political party but will look more to their own interests, aiming to hold whoever is contesting at ransom, their votes for solutions to their concerns.

‘We need change’

“After 2008, we were hoping that Pakatan would improve things for us. But to be honest, Pakatan did nothing for the disabled. We need change, we need good leaders who can deliver,” lamented Independent Living Training Center coordinator Francis Siva in his speech to the 150-strong audience.

His main grouse, something which he said is shared by the disabled community, is the indifference with which the authorities, even in Pakatan states, treat their requests and concerns.

On the other hand are there are the Dayaks and the Orang Asli whose main grouses are centred on their relationship with their customs, the land and surrounding forest.

They claim this is being denied to them by a federal government keen on developing and extracting natural resources, so much so that it saw no wrong in stealing land owned by the Orang Asli and Dayaks.

“Timber is extracted and nature’s treasures destroyed,” accused Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia Pahang chapter chairperson Yusri Jahut.

The government’s hunger for land and resources, they said, is threatening their livelihood, and poised to sever the ties to those things they hold so dear.

“We are being treated like the Red Indians of America, about a hundred years ago,” lamented John Ryan Anthony of the Sarawak Dayak National Union.

He was joined by Hindraf national coordinator W Sambulingan who criticised government policies of the NEP and ‘ketuanan Melayu’ which he said continue to cow the Indians, warning against a possible ‘Tunisia’ style popular uprising.

Memo to PM

The conference came up with a list of resolutions which they will compile into a memorandum that will be sent to the PM in a month’s time.

The memorandum is but a starting point as the groups all agree to move forward into a collective response to encroachments into their basic rights.

“If you tell me to go to war, then we go to war. We just lack expertise, if you provide the expertise, we will provide the muscle,” said Anthony displaying his commitment to the new alliance.

Former Sabah PKR leader Jeffrey Kitingan (right) joined the panel though he did not gave a speech. He was joined by another former PKR leader Zaid Ibrahim who made a cameo appearance, but just sat quietly in the audience.

“I am here just to listen,” said Zaid when asked to join the panel.

The conference was organised by the Hindraf, jointly with Human Rights Foundation, Borneo Resource Institute (BRI), Common Interest Group of Sabah and Sarawak (Cigma), Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) and several other NGOs.

17 Organizations for Disabled Persons Receive Laptops

KUALA LUMPUR, 18 JANUARY, 2011: Residents at 17 homes for disabled persons in the country can now conduct activities and programmes to learn more about information technology by just clicking on homegrown iDOLA laptop computers.

The laptops, invented by Mimos Bhd, were given to the organisations today, courtesy of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and Yayasan Innovation Malaysia, a foundation governed by the ministry.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said each organisation was given at least three laptops according to their needs.

"I hope they will utilise the iDola well including for their residents to learn more about ICT as well as for use during training and their programmes," he said in a statement here, today.

Dr Ongkili said the target groups would also be able to enjoy the technology available with the iDola, specifically the Intelligent Service Delivery Platform (iSDP) application, which enable users to access platforms such as online newspapers and government e-services with by clicking the icons.

Good move by Sri Maha Mariamman Devastha­nam

Dear Folks,

In the respect, the latest move by Sri Maha Mariamman Devastha­nam chairman Datuk R.Nadarajah for the setting up of a cable car system from the base of the caves to the top of the temple has been approved, and it could be operational by 2012 and welcome the idea by ILTC Malaysia.

The service, to be operational in time for Thaipusam next year, will benefit not only Hindu devotees but also local and foreign tourists.

One can reach the top of the 272 steps leading to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Batu Caves in about 10 minutes, and that too without sweat.

ILTC hope that, Dawnlee Management Services Sdn Bhd managing director Derrick Skelchy make ensure that its development agenda will benefit all sections of the society including people with disabilities and the elderly.

Once completed, the Malaysian people with disabilities will able to enjoy the ride on cable car.

The temple at Batu Caves often attracts over one million devotees and tens of thousands of tourists.

Mr. G. Francis Siva

President of ILTC Malaysia

PM: Malaysia has achieved highest level of appreciation for diversity

Make hospitals disabled-friendly

Thursday January 20, 2011

Access denied

Hospitals and clinics should be accessible to the disabled.

ALL of us know what to do when we fall ill – go and see the doctor, of course.

However, if you happen to be in a wheelchair like me, doing exactly that may not be as easy as one might imagine.

Hardly a fortnight into a brand new year, I found myself being confronted by the first major challenge of 2011. The lower part of my left jaw had swelled up. The gums, teeth and throat in the same area were painful, too. When the pain started to spread to my left ear and slowly towards my eye, I got worried. I realised I had to seek medical attention at once.

Hospitals and clinics need to be more disabled-friendly.

My first instinct was to go and see a general practitioner at a nearby clinic. However, even before one is able to do that, a wheelchair-user will need some kind of assistance to get into a car to go to the clinic for treatment.

I was lucky. My pal Andrew Martin rushed to my assistance.

But my problems were far from over. At the clinic, all the parking lots outside were taken by nondisabled drivers patronising the shops and cafes in the area.

It is sad to note that a clinic that is supposed to serve sick people, including the elderly and the disabled, had not thought of reserving a parking lot for such patients. This can be easily arranged for between the Petaling Jaya local council (MBPJ) and the clinics. Clinics can readily obtain the exact specifications for a disabled-friendly parking lot from MBPJ’s planning and engineering departments.

Access into the building was a nightmare as there were no wheelchair ramps. The doctor, however, was an angel. Realising that his outfit did not cater to wheelchairs, he came into our car to examine me.

This may have worked for the both of us there and then, but all medical clinics really ought to look into providing wheelchair access for their patients.

Failure to do so would deny disabled and elderly patients access to medical treatment.

My problem didn’t clear up after seeing the GP. Apparently it turned out to be a job for the dentist.

Looking for a dentist who was situated on the ground floor was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Nearly all the dentists that I called up had their practices on the first floor. The only one I discovered on the ground floor had a steep and dangerous ramp leading into the clinic.

There was another clinic with disabledfriendly facilities in Kuala Lumpur. However, the fees were beyond my budget.

It seems very wrong to me that one has to pay through his nose for some basic wheelchair-friendly facilities that stand to benefit all types of people. How would these doctors and dentists meet the needs of an ever-growing population of elderly and disabled persons in our society?

I finally found a ground floor dental clinic in Klang, Selangor, about 30km from my home.

Unlike most dental clinics, the treatment room was spacious,with easy manoeuvrability for wheelchairs.

My problem was over as soon as the offending tooth was extracted. But I couldn’t believe I had to travel all the way when the dentistry department of University Malaya Medical Centre is just five minutes away from my house.

Trying to get there in a wheelchair is a “hell-on-earth” experience.

There are no clear signs inside the main hospital to lead a patient to the department. One has to be a paralympian to push one’s wheelchair – without assistance – for what seems like forever to access the new building from the old one.

There are some places where the pathways are deserted.

Imagine suddenly facing a crisis there with no one to help you.

There are also heavy doors that a wheelchair-user has to wrestle with, in order to get in and out.

The pathway also brings the patient out onto the road before they can enter into the clinic.

Those who try to access the direct way are forced to look for a security guard located on another level to get him to come and open a gate to the department. The only lift to the department is just as elusive as the guard. It is concealed in the basement.

I brought these problems up to the public relations department a number of times over the years but I’m told the same story: the matter will be resolved once a new renovation takes place.

Well, try telling that to a pusfilled, decaying tooth that urgently needs to be extracted !