Imagine a disabled person trying to get in and out of the car in pouring rain. It's hard enough for a person carrying an umbrella but even harder if he or she is on wheelchair.
Recognising this problem, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) today launched the first sheltered parking space for the disabled at its headquarters.
The parking space is located next to the building's main entrance with the shelter extending to the nearby wheelchair ramp.
Speaking at the launch, wheelchair-bound MBPJ councillor Anthony Thanasayan lauded the creation of the special parking space.
"For anyone else it would take 2-3 minutes to get out of the car. But for a disabled person it takes 10-15 minutes. With this sheltered car park, we (have the luxury) to take our own sweet time," he said.
Thanasayan, who heads the council’s disabled expert committee, also welcomed the shift in mindset regarding the disabled.
"Even when we want to work, the toilet is not assessable to us. We are not affected by our disability but are affected by society lacking to provide for us to live like normal people.
"But this car park is a change in mindset and gives the disabled what we want," he added
150 special parking spaces
The MBPJ plans to create 150 specially designated parking spaces which will be located around the Petaling Jaya area.
The council hopes to fit at least 20 of these parking spaces with shelters.
Officiated by Selangor exco Ronnie Liu in the presence of Petaling Jaya mayor, Mohammad Roslan Sakiman, the event is part of the efforts towards creating a 'barrier free city' where people are free to move without physical, social and economic obstacles.
Meanwhile, MBPJ Developmental Planning Department director Sharipah Marhaini Syed Ali said another 149 designated parking spaces will be created in the next six months.
"They will be located at post-offices, heath centres, stadiums, malls and other places," she said.
For the moment, MBPJ is funding the implementation but the council hopes to get developers involved as well.
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