The disabled want debate on their rights

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Posted on 9 April 2013 - 05:25am
Last updated on 9 April 2013 - 02:08pm

Tan Yi Liang
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PETALING JAYA (April 9, 2013): Organisations representing people with disabilities (PWDs) have called for a Barisan Nasional-Pakatan Rakyat debate focused on advancing the rights of these people.

Society for the Blind committee member Mohammad Faizal Che Yusof said the debate will shed light on what both coalitions have in store for PWDs after the general election.

"We hope (the) new government, Barisan or Pakatan, will establish a ministry for the protection of the rights of PWDs. We are looking seriously to see how such rights can be protected, as opposed to charity or sympathy handouts," he told theSun yesterday.

Faizal said all legal bodies created under the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 should be strengthened, and hoped the government formed after the general election will defend the rights of PWDs.

Meanwhile, Damai Disabled Persons Association Malaysia president V. Murugeswaran said the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 should be amended to safeguard the rights of PWDs.

He also said Barisan's pledge to ensure the Rapid Bus System caters to PWDs in every state should be in tandem with cooperation from the local authorities to ensure infrastructure such as bus stops are accessible to PWDs.

BN MANIFESTO: Needs of disabled are being addressed

09 April 2013| last updated at 12:02AM

By V. Murugeswaran, president, Damai Disabled Persons Association Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, Selangor | letters@nstp.com.my 

BARISAN Nasional's manifesto, which was revealed to on Saturday, looks like the most positive and promising manifesto by BN after so many years.

I was delighted when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched BN's manifesto in line with his idea of "People First".

It is the first time in the history of the nation where the disabled community's needs are given importance just like every other aspect which a developing nation needs.

BN's manifesto is a promise by the government to ensure the integration and development of people with disabilities together with the rest of the people.

The pledge to ensure Rapid Bus system caters for the disabled in every state is a good start to transform our inaccessible transport system, a cause which the disabled community in this country has been fighting for all these years.

Having said that, it is important for BN to have the support of the local authorities to ensure the infrastructure aspects like bus stops are upgraded to cater to the need of the disabled.

It is also noted that BN has pledged to give special attention to people with disabilities to harness their full potential and capacity.

There are few other important aspects which BN ought to have included in the manifesto.

Among them are the Disabled People's Act, which needs amendments to ensure the rights conferred to the disabled are absolute and making preschools, primary and secondary schools, and universities accessible to the disabled so they can excel in education.

It does look BN has covered the needs of all walks of people in this country with special attention given to the less unfortunate like people with disabilities in its manifesto. I hope that the needs of people with disabilities will be given the rightful attention by those who have been given the mandate to form the government to ensure integration and development of the people with disabilities.

Read more: BN MANIFESTO: Needs of disabled are being addressed - Letters to the Editor - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/bn-manifesto-needs-of-disabled-are-being-addressed-1.251227#ixzz2PyEus9J1http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/bn-manifesto-needs-of-disabled-are-being-addressed-1.251227

Disabled community pleased - BN Manifesto 2013

April 8, 2013

FMT LETTER: From V Murugeswaran, via e-mail

Barisan Nasional’s manifesto which was revealed to the public yesterday looks like the most promising manifesto by Barisan after so many years.

I was delighted when Najib Tun Razak launched BN’s manifesto in line with his idea of ‘People First’. It is the first time in the history of nation where the disabled community’s needs were given importance just like every other aspect which a developing nation needs.

It is a promise to ensure integration and development of people with disabilities together with the rest of the Malaysian. The pledge to ensure Rapid Bus system caters for the disabled in every state is a good start to transform our current inaccessible transportation system, a cause which the disabled community in this country has been fighting for all these years.

Having said the above, it is important for the Barisan team to have the support of the local authorities to ensure that infrastructure aspects like bus stops are upgraded to cater to the needs of the people with disabilities.

While I am delighted with attentiveness shown by the Barisan team via their manifesto, I can’t help to wonder how, if given the mandate, Barisan will harness OKU’s full potential.

There are few important pledges which I think the barisan team ought to have included in their manifesto. Mainly, the Disabled People’s Act which needs amendment to ensure the rights conferred to the disabled under the said act is absolute, and failure to comply with the provision in the act shall be penalised.

The manifesto should also cover the importance to provide accessible pre-schools, primary schools, secondary schools and universities to ensure students with disabilities can excel in education without having accessibility issue as an obstacle to excel in education/life.

In so far as the manifesto concerned, the Barisan team has covered the needs of all walks of people in this country with special attention given to the less unfortunate, like people with disabilities.

I sincerely hope that the needs of people with disabilities will be given the rightful attention by those who have been given the mandate to form the government to ensure integration and development of the people with disabilities which comprises 10% of the nation’s population.

The writer is president of Damai Disabled Persons Association 

Malaysiahttp://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/04/08/disabled-community-pleased/