PJ Becomes More Disabled Friendly - NST

PJ becomes more disabled friendly Sheila Sri Priya

The post office in Jalan Othman, PJ Old Town will have car parks for the disabled.

PETALING JAYA: The disabled will find Petaling Jaya becoming a more disabled friend.

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has taken steps to provide more facilities for them.

In fact, developers will have to ensure that their projects such as apartments, officers and shopping malls must be disabled friendly.

Developers are required to submit floor plans to the council and upon completion, they will have to consult a special committee headed by PJ councilor Anthony Sivabalan Thanasayan.

"I will personally go and check the facilities to ensure they are suitable for disabled people like me," said Anthony.

"It doesn't matter if there are no disabled people staying at an apartment. The developers must provide the facilities for the disabled," he said.

Anthony added that there were residents who were against the building of facilities for the disabled.

"There are cases in which developers could not build ramps for wheelchairs because the residents were against it," he said.

He said one such incident occurred in Section 16.

"The residents said the ramps will ruin the beauty of the apartment," said Anthony.

Meanwhile, the disabled in Petaling Jaya can register for special car stickers from the council.

Council development planning department director Sharifah Marhaini Syed Ali said: "With the stickers, the disabled will be able to park at various designated parking spots within the municipality."

She added the disabled who live in Petaling Jaya could collect the stickers at MBPJ counters after Hari Raya.

Sharifah said 75 spots in Petaling Jaya have been identified for the disabled.

The areas include police stations in Section 7, medical centres in SS6, 11 government offices, two post offices and 24 public halls and public parks.