OF all the Merdeka Day celebrations in my lifetime since 1960, this year’s one was, without an ounce of doubt, the most significant for me.
Last Sunday as I was listening to the radio in my room at midnight, welcoming our 51st Independence Day anniversary together with other listeners on the air, I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion.
I discovered for the very first time that as a disabled citizen in my country, I am now able to finally rejoice with my fellow non disabled Malaysian brothers and sisters in celebrating the true meaning of freedom and what it is all about. 
Not just for me, folks, but it will be for all disabled residents of Petaling Jaya (PJ).
Even though many handicapped denizens and their caregivers living in our city may not realise this piece of marvellous news just yet.
I’m referring to the 150 disabled car park slots that the Majlis Bandaran Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) will be providing for the disabled all over PJ.
Work on this project starts this month and is expected to be completed before Christmas.
I can’t tell you how exciting this news is to the handicapped community. Especially when one considers how long we have been shut out of our society and the public.
Many drivers with disabilities have contacted me to say that they can’t wait to test out the very first MBPJ disabled car park when it comes out.
The city council will make sure that wheelchair users have ample space to get their w
heelchairs in and out of their cars.
(Often, other cars parked next to the driver’s side block the wide space that is needed for the disabled person to get out of his vehicle.
It is for this reason why disabled drivers sometimes park their cars very close to other cars on their left.
This is to give them enough room so that they can get out of their cars from the driver’s seat side should another car park next to them.)
A unique feature rarely seen in our country and overseas is that each parking slot
will also provide a shelter for the driver’s car. This, of course, is to protect him or her from the elements.
A hot sunny day, as most of us know, can turn the car seat into a literal cooking pot. This can cause life-threatening blisters and sores for handicapped people with paralysed limbs that have no feeling at all.
Because of the numbness, most of them will not realise the hot seats until the damage has been done. And when that happens, the situation is often irreversible.
Umbrellas are also useless for wheelchair users during rain. Whilst an able-bodied person can zip into his car within seconds, the physically disabled will need at least 10 – 15 minutes to perform the same task. 
Time is needed to position wheelchairs at exactly the correct angle before the driver swings himself into his car. One wrong move or error in judgment can be disastrous, sending the disabled person crashing on to the ground.
When that happens, they can often end up with a fracture or something worse.
The roofing is also a great boost for caregivers when they bring out their disabled
children or parents for dinner, movies, shopping, etc.
Caregivers frequently need twice the time as they are often accompanied by another caregiver. They have to literally carry their paralysed loved ones out of the vehicle.
To use the special car parks, one has to obtain MBPJ’s specially designed wheelchair logos. These will be made available free of charge soon. 
The disabled will have to produce their government registration handicapped ID cards.
For those who haven’t registered themselves yet, now is the good time to go and do so.
For those who have yet to be recognised officially as disabled persons by the government such as those with Parkinson’s disease and stroke, all you need to do is to provide a letter verifying your disability by a government doctor or the society one is a member of.
These are just some of the many goodies (and challenges!) that head of MBPJ’s city planni
ng department director Sharipah Marhaini Syed Ali and I, as city councillor, have lined up for the disabled community in PJ in the near future.
Providing these physical friendly structures is an imperative and positive start towards also changing deep seated negative mindsets of disabled people in our society.
Facilities like these will encourage both the disabled and their families to come and participate in public life with confidence.
By seeing the disabled-friendly car parks everywhere, I believe, more and more people will start to not only realise that there are indeed many disabled Malaysians among us, but we will have more importantly moved one giant step forward in creating – to use the MBPJ’s theme - “A liveable society and dynamic city for ALL PERSONS.”
Happy Hari Kebangsaan everybody!
Note: Pictures by Mr Sivaraman Kannan
The End
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