LAST WEEK was super terrific!It was truly a full seven days where my jobs as writer, activist for the disabled and animals – as well as city councillor all rolled in one, paid off marvellously.
The week started with an unexpected protest that I took part in with a dozen physically handicapped people in Kuala Lumpur.
We parked our wheelchairs (and walking canes) at the entrance of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Agency (MACC) building.
We were mad over an incident where a high ranking MACC representative – an able-bodied lawyer – made a mocking remark recently in court against another lawyer in a wheelchair about his handicapping condition.
We were simply flabbergasted that anyone – let alone such a highly learned member of the Bar of all persons – would think of uttering such a remark.
Whilst he may have thought that he was only directing his insult to one person, what he said ultimately applied to all Malaysians with disabilities in the country.
In fact it is attitudes like his that causes many handicapped Malaysians to stay locked up at home instead of coming out in our society.
As one of the organisers of the gathering I remained speechless at the press conference until a TV news reporter prodded me for comment.
All I managed to blurt out was: “If people can’t say anything positive about disabled people, then they ought to just keep their mouth shut.”
Someone in our group who was paralysed from his neck down asked the media if the lawyer in question would have made such a remark if he or his family members like his children, parents or wife was handicapped?
We doubted it.
One would have thought that the fact that the prominent disabled lawyer that he had insulted was an able-bodied person until an accident not long ago put him in a wheelchair would serve as a solemn lesson to all Malaysians that any one of us can be disabled at any time.
This is because disability is truly a respecter of nobody.
Whilst the able-bodied lawyer offered an apology to the disabled lawyer, he didn’t do the same for the disabled community.
However, a swift sorry was instead graciously given by the chief of MACC Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamad. This came in a letter the day after.
The action not only proved what a gentleman the latter was, but more importantly that obviously for him insulting the handicapped was certainly not the Malaysian way in treating the disabled.
An unpleasant visit in the middle of the week to a five-star leading hotel in KL a week earlier ended up with a sumptuous lunch for about ten persons the week after.
I was shocked to find a lack of up-to-date disabled friendly facilities in the hotel when I visited it for a function.
My immediate complaint letter to the public relations department led me to bring a team of disability access experts from the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to conduct an access audit of the building.
We discovered several facilities that were not up to the mark even though the hotel regularly won excellence awards for its services to its patrons.
We found some ramps that were steep, washrooms that needed to be more wheelchair-friendly and the staff in need of training in how to relate to disabled patrons.
Finally I had to rush to Klang several times in the week to answer to the SOS call of dozens of dogs at the Klang dog pound that were said to be in a very bad shape.
The Klang Municipal Council (MPK) came under fire from a couple of animal NGOs that alleged that the council was mistreating the canines.
However, my visit with Selangor’s first and only Canine Advisory Team (CAT) under MBPJ together with the Department of Veterinary Services revealed a different picture.
The MPK on its part had done a number of positive changes from what they used to do before. These include starting a pound a year ago and buying a proper van than using a lorry to catch and transport stray dogs.
Whilst there is presently plenty of work for the MPK to do in improving the condition for the animals under their care, the council staff entrusted to look after the canines needed education – more than anything else – on how to go about doing it.
Measures were taken immediately to improve the situation.
One of the biggest and positive changes is the setting up of a CAT committee under MPK – making the local council to be the second in Selangor to effectively look into canine issues.
CAT held its first meeting at MPK on Thursday.
PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).
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