Thursday August 18, 2011

New Cheras bus terminal disabled-friendly

Disabled commuters can look forward to service with a smile at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

LAST week, we were pleasantly surprised to receive an invitation from Maju Terminal Management and Services (Maju TMAS), the operators of the new bus terminal, Terminal Bersepadu Selatan at Bandar Tasik Selatan (TBS-BTS) in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. They wanted us to check out the disabled-friendly features at the terminal.

Maju Holdings, the parent company of Maju TMAS, was awarded a design-and-build contract in November 2007. They had the mammoth task of constructing the RM570mil terminal within three years. The terminal would serve as an integrated transportation hub where the public can commute by bus, taxi and rail. Bandar Tasik Selatan was identified because of its ERL and Komuter rail lines.

The terminal which began operating at the start of this year, has replaced the newly renovated Pudu Raya bus station for all south-bound buses.

A key feature of TBS-BTS is the disabled-friendly facilities which also cater to the elderly.

Special service: Wheelchair-users can purchase tickets with ease at dedicated counters for the disabled and the elderly at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

So when I was invited to offer feedback on the company’s efforts in looking into the needs of handicapped users, I was quite excited.

As chairman of the disability technical committee of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), which offers advice on handicapped-friendly features to developers, I thought it would be a good idea to bring along some of my team members with disabilities, as well as MBPJ’s planning and engineering staff.

Now, I must admit that we were half-expecting to see things that were not in proper order at the terminal, because of past experiences with other outfits which promised the same thing but turned out to be the opposite.

But boy, were we in for a surprise! The first thing that we were thrilled to notice at the terminal were the guiding blocks for the blind. These bright yellow tiles with grooves in them – also called tactile flooring – help the blind find their way about independently.

If you live in KL or PJ, you are likely to notice more and more of them being built in the outside environment, especially on the pavements.

However, what is notable about TBS-BTS’ tactile flooring is that they are also placed inside the terminal. This is exactly how it should be done – both outside and inside.

Long stretches of tactile lines from outside of the terminal effectively lead blind commuters into the building all the way to the information and ticketing counters.

They are also designed to guide the visually impaired into the restrooms which are wheelchair-friendly.

Our blind technical expert was thrilled. He used his white cane to cover almost the entire building.

Most buildings that claim to be friendly to the blind, sadly stop short of providing tactile flooring inside the building. This leaves blind visitors at a loss over what to do next when they are inside. Although our expert is blind, he was quick to point out areas that could do with some improvement. Some of the tactile lines, for instance, were not continuous at entry points such as the doors. For some reason, the able-bodied designers had overlooked this.

There were also certain areas where the management had placed chairs, stand-up signs for the public to queue up or other obstructions close to the markings. Blind commuters may accidentally knock into them.

As for wheelchair-users, there were three of us, including me. We represented various degrees of handicaps and gave our views based on our personal experiences.

We pointed out that the “lowered public phone booths” were not low enough for our wheelchairs. Some of the fittings such as the sink, water closet and dustbin in the restrooms were more of an obstruction than a help.

However, overall the boys at TBS-BTS had done an amazingly good job. We appreciated their willingness to receive feedback from us in good faith.

They said our feedback was a challenge to them to strive to make their terminal even better for persons with special needs.

The best news was that the terminal staff would be trained to go the extra mile to help all disabled commuters.

We were told that even before commuters with disabilities could approach the respective counters, the staff would get to them first.

With its golden service and improvements in the pipeline, TBS-BTS is certainly headed in the right direction. Syabas!

Thursday August 11, 2011

A death that could have been prevented

The Star

WHEEL POWER
By ANTHONY THANASAYAN

THERE was sadness in the disability community last week when news broke out of the death of a disabled girl in Rawang, Selangor. She was only 14. She had pressure sores which may have led to septic shock and eventual death.

Pressure or bed sores can occur when a disabled person is sleeping on the bed or sitting in one position for a prolonged period of time. Constant pressure on one spot reduces blood supply to the area. Over time, it can cause the skin to break down and form an ulcer which can take a long time to heal. If left untreated or not properly cared for, bed sores can develop into a nasty infection which can prove fatal.

There was mixed reaction to the news of the teenager’s death. Some of it was rather disturbing.

Some able-bodied people actually told me that it was better for the girl to have died than to live her life out as a disabled person. This kind of thinking is not only discriminatory but shows a complete ignorance of disability.

I recall an incident not long ago when the Supreme Court in the United States made the decision to finally pull the plug on a woman who was brain-dead. They removed the artificial tubes that were keeping her alive.

It was a very dark day for the international disabled community and activists.

Countless disabled people with profound handicaps, who depended on medical equipment for their survival, came forward to support the handicapped woman.

Their press statement was entitled, “We love our tubes” which said it all about being disabled and leading a high quality of life.

The campaign was led by a group of activists who depended on feeding tubes and breathing apparatus for survival. They aptly called themselves, “Not Dead Yet.”

The teenager who died last week was born disabled. She needed to be carried from her bed to her wheelchair and the bathroom. Although she was able to push herself in her wheelchair, she could only do it very slowly.

Her father was in prison. Her mum was a sweeper. They lived in a very simple house and had no transport.

The girl had no friends. She was also illiterate.

Although she is gone now, she leaves behind many disturbing questions that remain unanswered.

Some of the pertinent ones are:

> Why was she never hospitalised for her condition? Neighbours said her mother went to several clinics for help, but was she ever referred to a specialist in a government hospital? Why does her case not qualify for nurses to visit her in her home to care for her wounds? With no transport of her own and no financial resources, where can Malaysians with disabilities like her turn to for help? It is for this and other reasons that disabled leaders are asking that all disabled Malaysians be given a monthly allowance of RM500 for a start to help raise their quality of life.

> It is not clear if she was registered with the Welfare Department. What kind of follow-up does the department have for needy cases like hers? Were home visits made on a regular basis to monitor her progress or was it a one-off visit only, if at all?

Many of us are familiar with advances made by our society to help raise disabled sportsmen, and make more buildings and roads disabled-friendly.

However, what good are these if the basic needs of Malaysians with disabilities are largely ignored.

The teenager’s death may have been prevented if she was given the help that she so desperately needed.

Wonderful Trip To Melaka

We (disabled friends) and trio interns from China, Taiwan and Japan decided to go Melaka for a short trip on last Sunday. We woke up early and had our breakfast at the ILTC and to ready for our trip. Once we picked up other friends at Kuala Lumpur we headed towards Melaka. It’s really long way journey from KL to Melaka, it takes less than two hours.

We are very happy in the ILTC's Van!!!

My wife and lovely granddaughter!!!

We were expected to this trip!!!!

The architectures and landscapes are very attractive . You can see a lot tricycles with beautiful flowers and music. Many tourists can travel around the church by taking the tricycles.

All the travelers would take a tower so that they can see the whole scene of Melaka. The tower is the symbol of Melaka. It takes seven minutes to go up and down. You can see the river , the museum boat, the traditional buildings and the big shopping mall.

All of us!!!!!!

We are waiting in line to take the tower!

We really have fun! My granddaughter was very excited and happy!

The staff 's are kindly, they helped us get in the tower.

All the people are friendly, they were saying Hi to us!!!!

After that, we went to the shopping mall. There’re all kinds of souvenirs and foods, Malaysia crafts and clothes. We bought a mirror for the new house, and fired banana, etc. It’s a really nice shopping.

We took a photo beside the church.

At two o'clock, we went to our friend's house for lunch, they prepared a lot of tasty food for us, indian chicken Curry, fruits, soup and green tea. Their house was very beautiful. After lunch, we went back to Melaka for another street. There so many shops which sell some gifts and many special foods come from different countries. The foods smell good. Also we enjoyed a beautiful park in the street.

We took some photos with the elephant.

She is soooooooooo happy to ride the elephant!!!!!!

When we finished the shopping, it's dark outside, All the lights turn on it’s really beautiful along the river. We planned to take a boat to travel around the river at that time. But when we wanted to buy the tickets, the staff told us that, the disabled (wheelchair User) cannot take the boat. They didn't give us a reasonable explain, we as a disabled feel very disappointed about the rules that is discriminating us. We sincerely hope the government to ensure make a full range of facilities and make sure all people can be fair and have fun in Melaka.

And we were planning next travel in Melaka again. Today we could enjoy very fascinate travel and it become so nice memories.

Thursday August 4, 2011

The right fit

Tips on getting a suitable wheelchair.

A READER wrote in to ask for advice on what would be the most suitable wheelchair for an amputee who lost both his legs to diabetes recently.

Well, I’ve been using a wheelchair for almost 40 years, so the reader certainly came to the right person to ask for advice. Here are some tips for anyone who is wheelchair-hunting:

Get it right: Do your homework first and look into the needs of the user before you rush out to buy a wheelchair.

> Do your homework first before you shop. Find out more about the user and his specific needs.

How old is the user? Is he totally dependent on a wheelchair to move around or does he need to use it occasionally? Is the user able to wheel himself or does he need a caregiver?

Whenever possible, take into consideration the wheelchair user’s living environment. Look at the space required for the wheelchair, and any adjustments that need to be done once the wheelchair arrives.

It is also helpful to get some input from a rehabilitation doctor who specialises in disability. I recall a couple of incidents when well-wishers ended up getting the wrong wheelchairs for disabled people. They relied on the advice of GPs without taking note of an important factor – those doctors are not users of the products themselves.

> Get the right wheelchair. Older persons with walking difficulties may require a wheelchair to help them get from the bed to the bathroom or to the garden, or for an outing with the family.

For this, a wheelchair which you can get for as little as RM300 from a pharmacy, would suffice. However, please note that such wheelchairs are not as durable as the more expensive ones. They may need to be replaced, depending on wear and tear. The more lasting ones can range from RM1,000 to RM5,000 or even more.

The second category is designed for those who are paralysed from the waist down. These wheelchairs are not only tougher but they are often lightweight, which makes transporting them in and out of a vehicle much easier.

They also come with detachable parts unlike the cheaper wheelchairs. Arm rests or foot rests which can be detached are important to users with more impaired body movements.

Removing a foot rest so that the wheelchair can inch nearer to another object like a bed or the toilet seat makes a world of difference to those who cannot use their legs when they are shifting from the wheelchair to say, the toilet seat.

The option to remove the arm rests is very helpful, especially when these pose an obstruction during transfers.

Care should be taken to ensure that wheelchairs and their parts do not have rough or sharp edges that can cause cuts or bruises to the user who has no feeling in the limbs.

> Custom-made wheelchairs: These are specialised wheelchairs for children and people with profound disabilities such as those who are paralysed from the neck down. For such cases, it is best to seek the advice of a professional such as a rehabilitation doctor who specialises in disability issues.

Wheelchairs come in really handy for the disabled. However, for the first-time user and their caregivers, it takes time getting used to one.

For the able-bodied who find themselves in a situation where they have to depend on a wheelchair to get around, they may feel “wheelchair-bound” by the experience. However, for the disabled who have been using it all our lives, wheelchairs are truly liberating. What would we do without them?

Disabled teacher tells of her tower of strength

Monday August 1, 2011

Disabled teacher tells of her tower of strength

By R.S.N. MURALI
murali@thestar.com.my

MALACCA: Wheelchair-bound English teacher Zainun Abdul Jalil is thankful that a coursemate she spurned during her college days is now her knight in shining armour.

The 46-year-old had once rejected her husband Nor Haime Abd Rahim's marriage proposal but is grateful the man she once hated has stuck by her side during difficult times.

“We never got along during our days at a teacher training college in Kuala Lumpur although he was always asking me to marry him,” she recalled in an interview.

Dedicated: Zainun interacting with her students during her teaching session at SRK Seri Duyung in Malacca.

Her husband, however, knew they were meant to be. Nor Haime decided to directly ask Zainun's father for her hand in marriage in 1986 even though she had rejected his proposal countless times.

“My father called me the next day and said that he liked Nor Haime's modesty.

“He said my family wanted me to marry him.

“I dared not disobey my father and agreed to marry Nor Haime,” she said.

Zainun added that she fell in love with Nor Haime after marriage, drawn to his caring nature.

“I guess my matrimony was arranged by God as the Al-Mighty knew I would one day be immobilised and sent an angel to care for me,” she said.

Zainun has been restricted to a wheelchair after undergoing corrective surgery for a gynaecological ailment in 2006.

“Despite my condition and the fact that I was unable to conceive a child, Nor Haime did not remarry,” said Zainun..

She transferred to her current school, SRK Seri Duyung so that her husband could help her carry out her responsibilities as an English teacher.

“He is my pillar of strengh, literally. He is very tall and strong and can carry me easily,” she said.

Zainun has been given a special classroom on the ground floor of the school where she conducts her lessons.

“I am blessed to have understanding colleagues and pupils who have always been willing to to assist me and my husband whenever we need help,” she added.

Four LRT stations are now disabled-friendly

Monday August 1, 2011

Four LRT stations are now disabled-friendly

KUALA LUMPUR: Four out of the 24 light rail transit (LRT) stations on the Ampang line have recently been implemented with disabled-friendly facilities.

Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd infrastructure development director Nor Hasan Ismail said the four stations were Pandan Jaya, Pandan Indah, Cahaya and Cempaka all of which were expected to benefit an estimate of 15,000 disabled commuters.

He said the upgrades to the stations began in February last year and were completed in March.

Test run: Euro Asia Access Solutions Sdn Bhd director Richard Arnold trying the facilities for the disabled at the Cempaka LRT station in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur recently. Looking on is Nor Hasan (left). — Bernama

Nor Hasan said the disabled-friendly facilities include ramps, elevators, tactile tiles and wheelchair platforms.

He added that the four stations were the first batch to receive disabled-friendly upgrades whereas the remaining 20 stations would be equipped with disabled-friendly facilities by the end of the year.

Nor Hasan said the upgrades were part of an initiative under the GTP's NKRA to improve the quality of public transport, which would benefit around 48,000 Klang Valley commuters daily.

Heartfelt gratitude to our Prime Minister

Is this what the Indian students need?

Vegetarian food and Deepavali leave?

What are their priorities?

I am ashamed that Indian student can't identify their pressing needs.

The requests are childish in nature and that's why it was sanctioned.

Some learned people and politicians trumpetted as if a great feat had been accomplished.

Cheap publicity stunt.

Why does the Indian's have to beg for all these minute things?

Can't the authority just provide it in the name of rights of citizen?

When is ACCEPTANCE is going to take place?

Enough homes for abused children

'Enough homes for abused children'

SITI NURSURAYA ALI

Thursday, July 28th, 2011 12:20:00

PETALING JAYA: The Welfare Services Department (JKM) has enough shelter homes for abused children, says its public relations officer Nurul Insyirah Mohd Ishak.

She was commenting on an incident on July 15 when a JKM staff in Subang told a family that their shelters for abused children are all full.

"It is the department's responsibility to accept children at any time. We have enough homes for abused children," Nurul told The Malay Mail.

"We urge the family to file an official complaint for us to investigate further."

Nurul said not all abused children are placed in shelter homes.

"In some cases, the abused children may be better off staying with a relative or another family member," she said, adding that some abused or neglected children are temporarily placed at shelter homes while awaiting a court order in appointing a guardian.

"In urgent cases, we quickly take the child away from the abuser while providing the necessary protection and medical care."

Nurul said children who need protection are also placed in private shelter homes run by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) registered with JKM.

"Currently, there are 1,240 children under the protective custody at 11 shelter homes around the country," she said.

"The number of child abuse and neglected reports has increased, from 1,197 cases in 2008, more than doubling to 2,789 in 2009, and 2,960 last year."

Nurul said to combat the increasing number of child abuse and neglect cases, JKM launched Talian Nur 15999 to encourage public tip-offs.

"We investigate each tip-off and take the appropriate action, including temporarily placing an endangered child in a shelter home," she said, adding that JKM has also established a child protection team.

"We also have a Kami Prihatin programme to create greater public awareness on being pro-active on child abuse and neglect."

Easy on the disabled

Easy on the disabled

LRT stations plan facilities for the handicapped

IKRAM ISMAIL

Friday, July 22nd, 2011 12:28:00

UPLIFTING: Arnold demonstrates using a wheel chair on the platform lift — Pic: Samsul Said

AMPANG: There are close to 15,000 disabled persons (OKU) travelling the Ampang Line LRT every month since the service was introduced in 1996.

This was a long time for them to go without proper facilities when commuting on the LRT.

To ensure the disabled have equal rights to proper facilities, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana) has undertaken upgrading works since February of last year.

Prasarana infrastructure development group director Nor Hassan Ismail, said RM60 million was allocated to build disabled-friendly facilities at the 24 stations along the Ampang Line.

However, he said the upgrading work should have been done some 10 years ago.

"I admit when the Ampang line was taking route, not enough consideration was given to make the stations disabled-friendly," he said after taking newsmen on a tour of the newly-upgraded Cempaka station yesterday.

Besides Cempaka station, upgrading works at the Pandan Jaya station was completed last March. Cahaya and Pandan Indah stations are nearcompletion soon.

The other stations include Plaza Rakyat, Maluri, Miharja, Chan Sow Lin, Pudu, Cheras, Sentul, Salak South, Bandar Tun Razak, Sentul Timur, Sg Besi, Bukit Jalil, Sri Petaling, Ampang, Bandar Tasik Selatan, Bandaraya, Sultan Ismail and PWTC.

New disabled-friendly facilities were incorporated into stations were ramps, lifts, platform wheelchair lifts, tactile floors for the blind and proper toilets.

Other facilities for members of the public include escalators, surau and rain protectors to ensure commuters' comfort.

Nor Hassan said the upgrading process was targeted to be completed next year.

"Our main challenge in upgrading the stations while people were still using them."

Earlier, Euro Asia Access Solutions managing director Richard Arnold demonstrated to the Press and the public the use of the platform wheelchair lift. The company is responsible for providing disabled-friendly facilities at the stations.

Meanwhile, when asked on special coaches for the OKUs, Nor Hassan said they do not have plans for that yet.

"Our focus now is completing the upgrading work. Currently, the disabled are held in the coach behind the LRT driver," he said, adding if there is a need to group OKUs together in a coach, station staff can arrange for them to be placed in one coach for their convenience.