DATELINE: PETPOSITIVE THERAPY CENTRE, PETALING JAYA.
MALAYSIANS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ABOUT TO HAVE THEIR PRAYERS ANSWERED - FINALLY!
IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO FIND IT MUCH EASIER TO GET JOBS BECAUSE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY GET TO THEIR WORKPLACE.
CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WILL HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AT BEING EDUCATED BECAUSE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL IN THEIR WHEELCHAIRS.
AND PERSONS WITH HANDICAPS IN GENERAL WILL BE ABLE TO LEAD HIGHER QUALITY OF LIVES THANKS TO ONE CHIEF REASON: THE SETTING UP OF DISABILITY COMMITTEES IN ALL LOCAL COUNCILS (PBTs) THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
This was revealed in a special meeting between several nongovernmental organisations and Dato Sri Sharizat Abdul Jalil (ABOVE), Minister for the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development in her office in Jalan Dato Onn in Kuala Lumpur early this week.
"Our Ministry will go all out to get all the local councils to start special disability committees in their respective areas so that basic issues such as accessibility can be effectively addressed and tackled," said Sharizat to the four NGOs that met her on Monday morning.
The groups were the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (PETPOSITIVE), the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC), Malaysian Parkinson's Disease Association and the Dyslexia Association of Malaysia.
All of the organisations are from KL except for the ILTC which is in Rawang, Selangor.
The special meeting with Dato Sri Sharizat was arranged by Petpositive.
"It is time for all of the PBTs to realise that the disabled are the best people to articulate about their needs rather than the able-bodied," Sharizat pointed out.
"All PBTs should work hard to ensure that the building bylaws for access for the disabled - which have already been gazetted in every state in Malaysia - should be enforced to provide a barrier-free environment for people with disabilities (PWDs)."
The Minister went on to stress that her Ministry was "very serious" about getting local councils to act.
"We are working on a campaign to educate local councils to set up the special committees.
"We will start with a major seminar early next year to broach this issue.
"We will then move on to a concerted plan to get these special committees set up in each local council as soon as possible," Sharizat promised, to the beaming smiles from all the representatives who were present at the one hour meeting.
Petpositive was represented by Anthony SB Thanasayan. ILTC by Francis Siva the president.
MPDA by medical adviser and consultant neurologist Dr Lim Shen-Yang and Dyslexia Association of Malaysia by its vice-president Dr Aziz Abu Hassan.
Meanwhile, Petpositive held a similar meeting earlier on Thursday last week with Selangor State Executive Councillor and Chief of local councils Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew.
The Yang Berhormat (YB) said he would send a directive to all 12- local councils in the state to set up a disability committee as soon as possible.
This piece of information was conveyed by YB Ronnie to Petaling Jaya City Councillor (MBPJ) Anthony SB Thanasayan who is also Petpositive President.
MBPJ is so far the first and only local council to have a disability committee.
Though it was started about ten years ago, it was revived in 2008 shortly after the Pakatan government was formed.
It immediately took on a new direction under the leadership of Our President as MBPJ Councillor.
The Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) has had several meetings on disability issues supposedly under a "disability committee".
However, no follow up meetings have been held in the past few months causing the disabled person who attended it to wonder if they are still in the committee of if any progress has been made from their earlier meetings.
It has been reported that the Klang Municipality (MPK) also has disability meetings bimonthly.
But apart from the council staff and a disabled councillor, apparently no other NGOs are involved in their meetings.
YB Ronnie Liu's intervention will go a long way to not only assist greatly in the establishment of the special committees but also energise the level of commitment of the Selangor local councils' towards this goal.
A special "starter-kit" on how to set up disability committees in local councils is presently being drawn up by a local council specialist.
Once completed, it will be handed over to Ronnie Liu by Anthony SB Thanasayan and the local expert.
This is expected to happen before the end of the year.
IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO FIND IT MUCH EASIER TO GET JOBS BECAUSE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY GET TO THEIR WORKPLACE.
CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WILL HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AT BEING EDUCATED BECAUSE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL IN THEIR WHEELCHAIRS.
AND PERSONS WITH HANDICAPS IN GENERAL WILL BE ABLE TO LEAD HIGHER QUALITY OF LIVES THANKS TO ONE CHIEF REASON: THE SETTING UP OF DISABILITY COMMITTEES IN ALL LOCAL COUNCILS (PBTs) THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
"Our Ministry will go all out to get all the local councils to start special disability committees in their respective areas so that basic issues such as accessibility can be effectively addressed and tackled," said Sharizat to the four NGOs that met her on Monday morning.
The groups were the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (PETPOSITIVE), the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC), Malaysian Parkinson's Disease Association and the Dyslexia Association of Malaysia.
All of the organisations are from KL except for the ILTC which is in Rawang, Selangor.
The special meeting with Dato Sri Sharizat was arranged by Petpositive.
"It is time for all of the PBTs to realise that the disabled are the best people to articulate about their needs rather than the able-bodied," Sharizat pointed out.
"All PBTs should work hard to ensure that the building bylaws for access for the disabled - which have already been gazetted in every state in Malaysia - should be enforced to provide a barrier-free environment for people with disabilities (PWDs)."
The Minister went on to stress that her Ministry was "very serious" about getting local councils to act.
"We are working on a campaign to educate local councils to set up the special committees.
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| MBPJ's outreach to the disabled |
"We will then move on to a concerted plan to get these special committees set up in each local council as soon as possible," Sharizat promised, to the beaming smiles from all the representatives who were present at the one hour meeting.
 |
| From Left: Dr Lim, aNt & Sharizat |
MPDA by medical adviser and consultant neurologist Dr Lim Shen-Yang and Dyslexia Association of Malaysia by its vice-president Dr Aziz Abu Hassan.
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| Liu to issue directive |
Meanwhile, Petpositive held a similar meeting earlier on Thursday last week with Selangor State Executive Councillor and Chief of local councils Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew.
The Yang Berhormat (YB) said he would send a directive to all 12- local councils in the state to set up a disability committee as soon as possible.
This piece of information was conveyed by YB Ronnie to Petaling Jaya City Councillor (MBPJ) Anthony SB Thanasayan who is also Petpositive President.
MBPJ is so far the first and only local council to have a disability committee.
Though it was started about ten years ago, it was revived in 2008 shortly after the Pakatan government was formed.
It immediately took on a new direction under the leadership of Our President as MBPJ Councillor.
The Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) has had several meetings on disability issues supposedly under a "disability committee".
However, no follow up meetings have been held in the past few months causing the disabled person who attended it to wonder if they are still in the committee of if any progress has been made from their earlier meetings.
It has been reported that the Klang Municipality (MPK) also has disability meetings bimonthly.
But apart from the council staff and a disabled councillor, apparently no other NGOs are involved in their meetings.
YB Ronnie Liu's intervention will go a long way to not only assist greatly in the establishment of the special committees but also energise the level of commitment of the Selangor local councils' towards this goal.
A special "starter-kit" on how to set up disability committees in local councils is presently being drawn up by a local council specialist.
Once completed, it will be handed over to Ronnie Liu by Anthony SB Thanasayan and the local expert.
This is expected to happen before the end of the year.
1 comment:
Bravo for being the voice. I just don't know where you get the energy and time to fit it all these commitments. Great pictures. Before you become famous and unobtainable can I have your autograph???? Hee heee.
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