All systems go for the disabled in PJ - nst

All systems go for PJ to be disabled friendly Noel Achariam

Anthony Thanasayan is now a PJ councillor.

PETALING JAYA: Good news for the handicapped in Petaling Jaya city.

For starters, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has responded to the call of disabled people by agreeing to build 150 covered car parks around PJ for them.

The handicapped will also feature prominently in the council's budget that will be drawn up soon.

These were among the few steps taken by the council to provide better infrastructure for the handicapped in the city. This was announced yesterday at the Petaling Jaya full board meeting.

Councillor Anthony Sivabalan Thanasayan, who had on behalf of the disabled, requested for covered car parks, said: "The council has responded well to the plight of the disabled and we believe that covered car parks will surely benefit a lot of disabled folk," he said.

"We will be discussing the budget soon, and the mayor has given his full support to provide better facilities for the handicapped.

"I have already had a few discussions with the planning department to see how we can assist the disabled."

Anthony also asked the council to look into putting up sign boards and images that can assist the disabled.

"These are some of the things that I have mentioned to the mayor," he said.

"Everyone thinks that the disabled are asking for charity, but that is not what we want. We are only asking that we be given the opportunity to live just like the able bodied people.

"I would not say that we are different. We are just normal like anyone else.

"We might be handicapped, but we want society to treat us like normal people.

"And this can only be done by providing better transport and infrastructure for the disabled. We hope that the disabled will be mentioned and provided for in the budget," he said.

Speaking to reporters after the full board meeting, Mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman said that the city will include better infrastructure for the disabled in the budget.

"We have already asked Anthony to submit all the proposals and we will include it into the budget.

"Apart from better infrastructure in the city, we will also be providing other amenities for the disabled."