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| No access for ancient architecture |
IHAD a terrific time earlier this month.
I had the opportunity to take a trip down to the beautiful and historic city of Malacca.
I was there on a personal study trip.
As chairman of the technical committee on disabilities of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), I was eager and curious to find out what the council had done – and is currently doing – to make their much-talked about national heritage city friendly to both their residents with disabilities as well as handicapped visitors.
I couldn’t think of a more effective way to carry out my task than to make a spontaneous visit in my wheelchair to the glorious city.
But not without taking an able-bodied assistant with me, just in case.
Our first stop was Christ Church in Malacca town that was built by the Dutch in the 18th century.
I was most disappointed to discover that this oldest functioning Protestant church to this day had no ramp for wheelchair access.
Thus, I was forced to stay outside the church whilst scores of visitors from all races and religions walked in and out of the age-old building to appreciate its beauty from the inside.
When I asked one of the church’s official why a ramp was not built for disabled tourists, I was shocked by his reply. “A ramp would spoil the beauty of this ancient building!” He retorted.
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| Why can't disabled also enjoy Melaka? |
“But there are more than enough entrances to build just one ramp to allow the tourists with wheelchairs and walking difficulties to enter the building and also get a chance to appreciate it,” I answered.
“Oh, I’ll bring it up to the building committee,” he said with an indifferent tone. I couldn’t help thinking how short-sighted and rather selfish he was to make such a derogatory statement about the wonderful usefulness of ramps.
I was also rather surprised to hear such a remark from someone from a religious institution which often preaches that human beings are far more important than material things.
Don’t such people realise that such perceptions are already changing as our country is ageing with more people struggling with disabilities in old age, accidents and illnesses?
I have personally been to overseas countries where wheelchair ramps are always provided as an alternative access means for the disabled.
In heritage buildings, the engineers have even cleverly constructed them in an ancient style so as to blend in and match with its natural surroundings.
Excuses were never given to avoid providing for them.
Back to the Malacca city, there were no disabled-friendly toilets within a decent distance from where I was.
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| aNt obviously having a great time |
I did see a public handicapped toilet, however, when I was travelling in my vehicle. However that was much too far away for my convenience.
The only handicapped parking that I saw was near the church. However, it was not as long and wide as a proper disabled parking slot should be.
The wheelchair logo on the ground was also fading. One had to take a good hard look at it to notice it, which needless to say, wouldn’t go well at all with drivers with poor eyesight.
And I’m sure that many unscrupulous non disabled drivers would have found it a great steal – especially with people not realising it was a disabled car park.
Most of the pavements were totally inaccessible to wheelchairs. Frankly, they were also not good for walking people!
Luckily my assistant was with me to help me get around.
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| People should practise what they preach |
Because of the council’s lack of making the pavements wheelchair friendly, I was forced to use the road where my safety was compromised.
At one point I had to literally get off the road to allow a huge tourist bus to get past me.
I wonder what the tourists in that bus would tell their friends when they get back home about how people with disabilities are treated in our country when it comes to public access.
Another troubling thing about my visit to Malacca is that in the ten hours that I spent in the city, I never came across a single person in a wheelchair in my adventure.
This is a clear sign of how hostile the city still is to its disabled and elderly denizens when it comes to access in the outside environment.
But there appeared to be some attempts of making wheelchair access onto the pavements. However, they were scarce and not properly done. They also totally ignored guiding blocks for the blind.
Despite all these, however, I managed to get to see some unforgettable sights like the river boat rides, the colourful rickshaws and even sample some of the mouth-watering food that is unique to the city and state.
The sights, sounds and even smells were so marvellous that disabled people too need to enjoy them as much as the able-bodied.
I even managed to find some time to buy some delightful squeaky toys from the night market in Jonker’s street which my service dogs back home thoroughly enjoyed!
But not before calling my mayor in PJ and getting his approval to bring our disabled technical team from MBPJ to meet up with the local council in Malacca to share some ideas on how best to make their great city also accessible to people with disabilities.
And what a terrific excuse to go back to Malacca!
The End
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