Budget 2011 reactions

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 16, 2010)

"The Government had allocated RM6.4 billion for the Education Ministry to development expenditure to build and upgrade schools, hostels, facilities and equipment. The Ministry of Education shall draw up an intensive and comprehensive plan to ensure the money allocated to upgrade schools will be utilized in line with the “inclusive education” system.

"The inclusive education system comprises of an accessible infrastructure and well trained teachers whom can cater for all students. The inclusive system will enable the disabled students to attend “normal schools” just like their normal peers without being segregated to their own group based on their disabilities. This problem has been long overlooked by the government," he said in a statement today.

He said a whooping RM 1.2 billion has been allocated to the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development to carry out various welfare and community programmes which includes RM280 million for training programme to benefit 80,000 registered disabled individuals in this country.

"I strongly recommend the allocation should be utilized more to provide comprehensive trainings such as IT courses, automobile repairing, sales and marketing and others to enable the disabled individuals to cope up with the rapidly growing economic and contribute to the productivity of the country," he said. -- theSun

The Selangor and Federal Territory Damai Disabled Persons Association President V.Murugeswaran

A Success story – Joint effort by MAYBANK and Damai Disabled Persons Association

Damai had earlier this year highlighted to the media and the Malaysian community through various electronic media and news papers on the impact of having financial institutions which are not accessible for people with disabilities (PWD) especially for those who are on wheelchair. http://www.damai.org.my/nstonline1.html

We received a very positive response from Maybank. Their officials had numerous meeting with us and came up with a plan to revamp their branches to cater PWDs. Through various discussion and brain-storming sessions, we had managed to put forward our recommendation on the design and accessibility features which Maybank should adopt, so that it will be a perfect master piece and at the same time will be an example to be followed by the rest of financial institution in this country. We can definitely call this a “pilot project”.

The results was overwhelming, today I went to witness the end product of months of hard works by Maybank and Damai. They had renovated another main Maybank branch in Petaling Jaya with the exact requirements put forward by Damai. This branch definitely will benefit all the PWD’s in Petaling Jaya area. Maybank has set a very high standard in terms of providing an inclusive service and I strongly urge all other financial institution to emulate Maybanks’ effort in creating a “bank for all”.

MPPJ had also played their part in this success story, they had provided special parking bay for PWD right in front of Maybank. I was amazed with the signboard which read “Di Larang Meletak Kenderaan Di Petak Kereta Kecuali OKU Sahaja”. I have to commend MPPJ for playing their role in providing car parks for disabled drivers and hope to see more designated parking for PWD’s in areas which fall under MPPJ’s jurisdiction. Having said that, I also sincerely hope that MPPJ’s officers will ensure that the car park designated for PWD’s will not be misused by public.

Pictures below speaks by itself. The success story of the joint project by Maybank and Damai

Few doors away from the renovated branch, I saw Bank Simpanan Nasional and immediately my mind wander to the issue Damai had highlighted in relation to the hardship PWD’s have to endure in getting their “PWD monthly allowance” from BSN branch at Kepong. http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/news/general/10979-its-not-a-walk-in-the-park-to-get-your-welfare-aid

Bank Simpanan Nasional should take immediate steps to ensure they cater for PWD’s since they are one of the financial institutions which in-charge for distributing the monthly allowance. At the moment, PWD who intends to go to BSN (PJ branch) can utilize the designated car park and the ramp built by Maybank. I strongly urge BSN to keep to their promise to renovate the branches to cater PWD http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/news/general/11320-bsn-vows-to-be-disabled-friendly

Pictures below reflect the hurdles PWD’s have to endure every month . Time for BSN to emulate Maybank’s effort

Budget 2011: Good but not good enough

FRI, 15 Oct 2010 21:19 By Patrick Lee

On the assistance programme to benefit 80,000 disabled individuals with an allocation of RM218 million.“It's good, but how are they going to conduct this? What kind of training is going to be involved here? Are they going to channel it to the disabled rehab centres in Bangi?

I don't think they are going to provide professional training, such as the repairing of cars and handphones, which is what is more required.And the 80,000 mentioned, those are the ones who are registered under the Social Welfare Department. The ones who aren't registered are much more.”

V Murugeswaran,

president of Damai Disabled Association

BSN vows to be disabled-friendly

By Patrick Lee

FRI, 08 OCT 2010 15:25

PETALING JAYA: Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) has promised to make most of its branches disabled-friendly.

“We have received the same feedback from our customers on the same matter and are in the midst of providing (wheelchair) ramps,” said a BSN spokesperson.The bank also told FMT that its staff would provide help to its

disabled customers whenever necessary.At the BSN Kepong Baru branch last week, FMT noticed how a group of disabled people were made to wait along a busy road to receive their social welfare payments.With no wheelchair ramp, the disabled people said sometimes they had to wait for over 30 minutes before being attended to by a bank officer.A number of senior citizens present also had trouble making their way into the bank.Calling itself a “community bank” that was “progressively improving”, the spokesperson said that the bank was in the process of providing access at many of its branches.However, BSN did not mention when it was going to build a wheelchair ramp for its Kepong Baru branch.'

Lame excuse'

President of the Damai Disabled Persons Association,V Murugesan, was not impressed.“It's a lame excuse. They are only trying to calm us down and make us wait. Anybody can say something like that. They have been saying this for umpteen years. Helping the disabled is not a one or two-day issue,” he said.The wheelchair-bound activist said while BSN did not have a listening ear, other banks such as Maybank were more attentive.FMT previously reported that Maybank had embarked on a RM16-million nationwide project to make its branches more disabled-friendly.Murugesan said that 12 Maybank branches, including six in the Klang Valley, had added wheelchair ramps to their outlets.“Not only does Maybank talks to us, but we also go to their branches and test the ramps (for them),” he said.In comparison, Murugesan said BSN had failed to contact Damai or any other disabled association regarding the matter.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.come

editor@freemalaysiatoday.com

Trying time for the disabled

Saturday October 2, 2010 By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ

MEMBERS of the Damai Disabled Persons Association are finding it difficult to go the BSN branch in Persiaran Mergastua, Seri Kepong Baru, because there is no ramp for those on wheelchairs.

The disabled go to the bank to collect their monthly disabled persons allowance.
S. Krishnan, 36, said the lack of a ramp made it difficult for some disabled people to be independent because they had to depend on customers who were walking in or out of the bank to get assistance.

On the streets: A bank employee attending to (from left) Krishnan, Mehboob Sulaiman and Murugeswaran outside the bank.

Photo by P. NATHAN

“The bank employees then come to us and the transaction is made outside the bank. It can be dangerous because there is a risk that we could become victims of snatch thieves,” he told reporters at the bank yesterday.

He added that the narrow one-way street also made it hard for both the disabled and other road users.Krishnan said there were at least 50 disabled people in the area from various disabled persons’ associations.

The association president, V. Murugeswaran, said every building should provide disabled-friendly facilities under the Uniform Building By Law.
He added that the disabled also dealt with banks and they should also be treated equally with facilities needed by them.

“We had the same problem with another bank before, but it responded well to our pleas and made it possible for us to access its building. We hope the same can be done here,” he said.

Disabled Unfriendly BSN branch

Seri Kepong Baru

NANYANG SIANG PAU

It’s not a walk in the park to get your welfare aid

FREE MALAYSIA TODAY

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:14

By Patrick Lee

KEPONG: Kuala Lumpur is not a city known for being friendly to the disabled, and this is especially evident in Kepong Baru.

More than 100 disabled persons live in the area, and they each receive RM300 a month from the Social Welfare Department. Like other welfare beneficiaries in Kuala Lumpur, they have to collect the money from Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) by the 20th day of the month.

The trouble is that access to the bank’s Kepong Baru branch is often a challenge to the wheelchair-bound and other disabled persons.The bank is located on the heavily congested Persiaran Margastua, and the nearest ramp is five metres away from its entrance.

It leads not directly to the bank, but into the greasy entrance of a motorcycle workshop. Motorcycles waiting for repairs would often block the already bumpy path.A large sheet blocks the bank from the rest of the walkway, leaving the disabled to wait by the steps leading to the bank.

Disabled businessman David Chrican told FMT these steps were too high and it would be nearly impossible for him to climb them without help.

It can be frustrating to wait around there, with cars and motorcycles honking everywhere and the sight of filthy liquid wastes from a hawkers’ centre flowing into a smelly drain nearby."Can you imagine if it rains?" asked V Murugesan, president of the Damai Disabled Persons Association of Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan.He said many BSN branches were in similar shape.

Officers usually helpfulThere was a small group of disabled persons waiting outside the bank today. An officer got out of the bank to collect their passbooks and MyKads.Murugesan said this too was a concern for the disabled. "Somebody can just snatch our MyKads and run away."Depending on how busy the bank was, he said, the disabled sometimes had to wait for quite a while to receive their money as well get back their passbooks and MyKads.

A Rajoo, a committee member of the Damai association, told FMT that BSN officers were usually quite helpful. "If we are inside, the officers will give us first priority," he said."But if they're busy inside, with a lot of customers, then they cannot. Sometimes we have to tell bank customers to go in and tell the bank officers that we're outside."However, he said, the public tended to ignore people like him.Other disabled persons said they sometimes had to wait up to 30 minutes before any bank officer would notice them.Some just give up and go home.Why still no ramp?

Murugesan also complained about the time limit for collection of the welfare dues. "If we don't collect after 20 days, then we have to go through a difficult process at the welfare office," he said.According to the Uniformed Building By-Laws (UBBL), banks are required to build ramps for the disabled."They know that the disabled come here every month," Murugesan said."As a government-linked bank, BSN should be an example and provide facilities."Why are the disabled people treated like this after 53 years of independence? Why is this still happening?"The manager of BSN’s Kepong Baru branch was not available for comment.

AirAsia launches ambulift for disabled passengers

Sharing one of our success story with AIRASIA

v.murugeswaran and m.manoharan HAD AUDIT ACCESS IN TWO KTM STESEN WITH MOT,KTM AND OTHER NGO'S - part 4

v.murugeswaran and m.manoharan HAD AUDIT ACCESS IN TWO KTM STESEN WITH MOT,KTM AND OTHER NGO'S - part 3

v.murugeswaran and m.manoharan HAD AUDIT ACCESS IN TWO KTM STESEN WITH MOT,KTM AND OTHER NGO'S - part 2

v.murugeswaran and m.manoharan HAD AUDIT ACCESS IN TWO KTM STESEN WITH MOT,KTM AND OTHER NGO'S - part 1

What a Shame !!! Ex-Law keeper breaks the rules

The pictures above speak thousand words

The disabled in this country has been facing so many obstacles in carrying out their daily routine. Despite all that, we try our best to live independently with the minimal facilities being provided for us where ever we go. The above pictures were taken at the car park area reserved for disabled drivers at Sunway Pyramid. It took me more than 30 minutes to find a disabled parking lot. Most of the parking lots reserved for disabled are taken and the most frustrating part is that it is taken by “normal” people. It amazes me how irresponsible human being can be at times.

We always complain that the car park reserved for the disabled are being mis-use, the main reason for all this is due to the lack of enforcement by the relevant authorities in this case is the Sunway Pyramid management. The management should clamp a car parked at the designated parking lots which does not have disabled persons sticker.

I have came across so many occasions where car park designated for OKU being mis-used, but yesterday’ incident was indeed a classic one. If you note, the car parked at the OKU parking lots bears a sticker saying “Bekas Penguatkuasa Polis” (No indication that it’s belongs to a disabled person ). How can ex- police officer mis-use facilities provided for the disabled? It is such a humiliation to the police department. I sincerely believe that when one put such stickers on their car they bear huge responsibilities to act in a best manner and be an example for the public at large.

I have put a very “polite” note on his car, hopefully the next time he has an intention of parking his car at places designated for OKU he will come to think of my note .

IBM helps NGO to reach out to the disabled

The run’s proceeds will go towards Damai’s programmes to reach out to the disabled in rural
PM areas with limited access to its services.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 08.07

PETALING JAYA: IBM Malaysia raised RM40,572 for the Damai Disabled Persons Association of Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan (Damai) through its inaugural Smarter Planet Charity Run 2010 recently.

The contribution will help Damai to reach out to disabled people in rural areas with limited access to its services and centres.IBM On Demand Community volunteers have been working closely with the non-governmental organisation (NGO) for the disabled for the past few years on ICT skills training programmes.

The charity run is IBM's continuous corporate responsibility efforts to support Damai's outreach programme.

The run attracted close to 1,500 people and saw the participation of some 800 IBM employees and their families and friends, clients, and business partners. IBM's Smarter Planet Facebook community also showed up. The 5km charity run took place in Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya.
IBM Malaysia managing director Ramanathan Sathiamutty presented the run's proceeds to Damai president V. Murugeswaran at a cheque presentation ceremony just before its flag-off. "The proceeds from this run will enable us to realise our dream of owning a Mobility Van to promote our services in remote and rural areas," said Murugeswaran.For IBM, the charity run is about making the world a better place to live, building a smarter planet and improving quality of life.

"We are glad that our contributions will help Damai to reach out to, educate and develop those who are in need in areas otherwise not reacheable," said Ramanathan.By a smarter planet, IBM means building cities and infrastructure for better services to the people, excellent public transport that caters to people from all walks of life, and education systems and talent development programmes that will equip Malaysians with the skills to contribute to the country's development.

IBM SMARTER PLANET CHARITY RUN 07/08/2010

Please click on the header above to view the entire album

Venue : Central Park Avenue, Dataran Bandar Utama

We would like to take this opportunity to thank

IBM SMARTER PLANET CHARITY RUN, specifically Li Ern Phang,Low Nate Chee Mun,Roslin Abdul Rahim and their team members

for the hard work in driving more 1000++ participants and made the event a success.We are also would like to record out highest appreciation to Rama Nathan Managing Director, IBM Malaysia and Mr. Eric Wong Director marketing,communications and corporate citizenship & corporate affairs who had approved RM 40,572.00 being the proceeds from the event to enable Damai to fulfill its dream to own a Mobility VAN for the association members .

The van will be utilized to help our members and non-members to do their daily routine such as attending to their medical check-up, attending an interview, going to work and etc.

Secondly the said van will be utilized mainly to promote awareness camping for the disabled individuals in remote and/or rural areas whereby in the present we have difficulties to reach them due to the inaccessible public transportation.

WE TRULY APPLAUD IBM’S SOCIAL CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES

Mr. Rama Nathan Managing Director IBM Malaysia Presenting Mock cheque to President of Damai Mr.V.Murugeswaran

MEETING INVITATION BY KETUA PENGARAH DBKL YBhg Datuk Hj Salleh Bin Yusup

PENYERAHAN MEMORANDUM

OLEH AHLI-AHLI JAWATAN KUASA KERJA PERSATUAN DAMAI

MEMINTA DBKL MENYEDIAKAN KEMUDAHAN INFRASTRUKTUR DAN TEMPAT LETAK KERETA UNTUK ORANG KURANG UPAYA (OKU) DI SEMUA KAWASAN YANG BERADA DI BAWAH BIDANGKUASA DBKL

Tarikh : 28 Julai 2010

Kepada : YBhg Datuk Hj Salleh Bin Yusup
Ketua Pengarah DBKL

'Disabled-unfriendly' KL City Hall comes under fire

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:00

By Patrick Lee

KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) came under heavy criticism today for its lackadaisical attitude towards providing better access for disabled persons in the city.

Damai Disabled Persons Association of Selangor and Federal Territory president V.Murugeswaran said a recent meeting with DBKL had proved futile.

“They (DBKL) have set up a Disabled Persons Unit (DPU). The officers, however, are all able-bodied people.“At the meeting, they opposed our list of demands which included our request for ramps and modification to roadside curbs.

“They classified our list of demands as ‘short-term projects’ and had a lot of reasons against it,” said Murugeswaran But what shocked wheelchair-bound V.Murugeswaran most was when they asked him to “understand the situation”.“They want me to understand that it is not easy to build a ramp for disabled people!They want us to compromise and wait... but for how long?”

Murugeswaran said it was obvious that the DPU was set up because of “top-level pressure and the unit was not really bothered”.“After several disappointing responses to our letters, we got fed up with DBKL and turned up to see (Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister) Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin. “He (minister) instructed the DBKL officials to speak with me directly,” he said, adding that this was how DPU could have been set up.FMT caught up with V.Murugeswaran, who together

with representatives from Maybank, were at DBKL yesterday evening to hand over a memorandum to DBKL director-general Salleh Yusuf.The memorandum wants DBKL to expedite the installation of disabled friendly facilities.Quest for facilities Murugeswaran's quest to make Kuala Lumpur more disabled-friendly began in 2008 when he found that one of Damai's members had been taken advantage of.

The member, suffering from a near-total paralysis, had lost RM5,000 after being duped by a “friend”.The money was lost when the member allowed his “friend” to use his ATM card on his behalf.Murugewaran believed that the situation might have been averted if disabled individuals had proper bank access.“We need to be present at the banks to get our pensions and allowances. But most banks are not disabled-friendly.”“The only bank which was willing to listen to our grouses was Maybank,” he said.He said Maybank then embarked on a RM16-million nationwide project to make its branches more disabled-friendly in keeping with its corporate social responsibilities.

Murugeswaran added that some Maybank branches built disabled ramps after getting permission from City Hall.But Murugesan, however, maintained that ramps and modifications to road curbs were the responsibility of DBKL and should not be fobbed off onto the private sector.