Opinion
Friday August 4, 2006
Think of the disabled, too
WE refer to your front-page report, “Projects for Penang given the green light” (The Star, Aug 3).
While the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive) is pleased to learn that people in Penang will soon have a second bridge and a monorail system, we would like to point out that it is extremely essential that every effort be made by the relevant bodies to make the monorail disabled and elderly friendly.
We regret to note that despite the many promises, the monorail system in Kuala Lumpur turned out to be a huge disappointment for not being accessible to Malaysians in wheelchairs and others with walking difficulties.
Lack of access to public transportation remains, to this day, the single most neglected major concern and problem for disabled people in the country.
It will make the disabled lag even further behind if nothing is done about it.
Without being able to travel from one place to another, the handicapped and elderly cannot really progress and stay productive in our society.
No matter now much good intention or how many willing employers they happen to come across, the disabled will simply not be able to hold on to their jobs for long without the benefit of convenient and affordable transport which monorails, light rail transits, buses, and even bullet trains can give them.
I had my first bullet train ride in my wheelchair 14 years ago.
It was fully equipped with handicapped friendly features, complete with staff on hand to help the disabled.
Ergonomic engineers must also face up to the challenge of coming up with well-tested facilities that can accommodate seniors with reduced vision and senses to help them have access to public transport so that they are able to remain independent.
Medical and health experts predict disabilities will be more common among the elderly as they undergo physiological and psychological changes in their lives.
Paralysis can also occur through common health problems such as diabetes, stroke, arthritis and heart attacks.
If we do not do the needful now to conscientiously include all people in our nation-building plans, what are we going to do in a situation in the near future when we discover that their numbers have significantly increased?
ANTHONY THANASAYAN,
President,
Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association,
Kuala Lumpur.
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