We, representatives of the disabled community, are pleased that Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim had revealed recently that a disabled person will be selected as a senator into Parliament soon.
It is high-time that the new senator will be someone who is physically disabled and in a wheelchair compared to the previous senator - Malaysia’s first - who was a blind person.
Malaysians with physical handicaps especially those on wheelchairs are one of the most neglected of disabled persons. The lack of mobility and access to public transport as well as into buildings is one of the biggest barriers towards successful living.
That is why the physically disabled remain one of the least educated and employed persons compared to the deaf and blind in our society.
The first challenge will be to make our Parliament House fully and properly wheelchair-friendly to disabled persons.
We urge that key disabled persons and organisations for the disabled be involved in the selection process of the disabled senator. That would only be right.
We suggest that academic qualifications should never be the qualifications of a suitable candidate.
Rather, an ideal senator should be someone who has truly experienced hardships and sufferings in order to serve the many wheelchair users and those with walking difficulties who have yet to be reached in order to improve their living conditions.
Having said that, the senator should at the same time, have the same passion in reaching out to the many other categories of persons with disabilities too from those living with Multiple Sclerosis to stroke and mental illness.
The senator in a wheelchair should also be given the necessary support systems like personal assistant care, a wheelchair-friendly transport vehicle and other services to help him carry out his duties.
For further information, please contact: Anthony Siva Balan, The Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive), H/P: 012-220 3146, or G Francis Siva, The Independent Living and Training Centre Malaysia (ILTC Malaysia), H/P: 019-338 5959.
G FRANCIS SILVA is president of Ihe Independent Living and Training Centre Malaysia (ILTC Malaysia).
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