Letter to the STAR editor again!

(This was taken from Accessibuilt egroup.)

I would just like to say that we should take advantage of the
announcements that the Malaysian Government had been saying recently
about the upgrading of the public transportation system, and noticably
what the Deputy Prime Minister is saying as well.

A month ago on the 14th February 2006, DPM had been saying about a
National Action Plan for Disabled People, and recently it is the
Public Transport. Despite the uproar of the hike in oil prices, we
have to grasp the bigger picture and keep up the chase with the
Government about providing a "Public Transport for All".

We have to remember when they talk about public transport it includes
the street environment and pavements as well, plus the bus stops and
taxi stands. (The taxi and bus drivers should also get subsidy to be
trained on disability awareness.)

Anyway, I just sent a letter to the editor of the STAR, I don't know
whether they will print it or not, but I would like share with you all
what I wrote. At the end here,  I will also paste
the February newspaper report on DPM's Action Plan for Disabled
People, as a reminder.

(The following letter has not been published in the STAR, so I posted it
at brandmalaysian.com and it was reposted by Mack Zulkifli. Link.)
>>>>>
Letter to STAR editor:

I hope the Malaysian Government will get the public
transport upgrading underway. I for one am really
waiting for this to happen. The Government must do
more to reassure their commitment to the public
towards their objectives in public transportation.

If the Government is saying that they want to invest
on public transportation, the next thing I want to
hear is what studies had they done; and how do they
deal with the safety and accessibility of the public
transportation system.

For example, as I am a wheelchair user, can I travel
without hassle from Hulu Kelang to Bangsar, which
means that: (i) The taxi drivers will stop for me and
not charge me extra for my wheelchair; (ii) The lifts
at Putra LRT do not get blocked with motorcycles
parking illegally and not block my path; (iii) I can
use the feeder bus ramp safely when embarking the bus
and disembarking later at another the bus stop; (iii)
I can cross the road safely with gentle ramped curbs
so that I can manouvre myself safely and no motorcycle
is going to go through the red lights and hit me.

Furthermore, when I need to use STAR LRT and KL
Monorail, will they install lifts so that I can use
the system, and have better choices to travel and use
the transport system.

I want the Government to upgrade the public transport
system but it must be at par with at least what
Singapore is striving for, all wheelchair accessible
buses by 2023 to be done in phases. There must be a
number and set target date for the commitments, and
the budget must take into account the 6-10% of the
population who are disabled (UN estimate) and another
20-25% of people who will be above the age of 60 by 2020. Not
counting people carrying heavy luggage, pregnant women
and small children.

At the moment the public transportation is excluding
about 35 - 40% of the population. Financially the
upgrading will,in the end, benefit everyone, even the
transport operators and more people will share the
conveniences.

And I will forget about the hike in oil prices.

I am really looking forward to seeing the Public
Transportation Action Plan, with providing "Public
Transport for All" the main thrust.
<<<<<    
(This was taken from a STAR newspaper article which I had earlier cited.)

Here is the newspaper article on the National Action Plan:
From BERNAMA, The Malaysian National News Agency KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14
(Ber-nama) --

The government will come up with a  National Action Plan to ensure smooth
implementation and coordination of programmes, services and facilities for
the  disabled, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today The main thrust of the
plan was to ensure the rights and full and fair par-ticipation of the disabled
in all aspects  of life, he said. "This assurance is the basis to realise the
objectives of national develop-ment and to create the concept of a  "society
for all', " the deputy prime minis-ter said at the launch of the national-level
Day for the  Disabled celebration here.

His speech was delivered by Women, Family and
Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil Najib said the
plan would focus on seven areas vital to developing the dis-abled and safeguarding
their rights They were the development of self-help organisations, women and the
disabled, detection and early intervention,  education, training and employment,
access to buildings and public transportation, information and communication and 
eradication of poverty among the disabled "If the programmes, services and
facilities that meet their needs can be fully implemented, I believe that the 
status and quality of life of the dis-abled will be more assured and secure,"
he said. He said government agencies responsible for preparing special programmes
and services for the disabled must play  their role more effectively to meet the
needs of this group.

"In this context, I want to call on the Housing and Local Government Minis-try,
city halls and the local  authorities to create a truly disabled-friendly or
barrier-free environment so that they can move around freely, become more
self-reliant and go about their daily lives like ordinary people," he said.
Najib said there were still many physical obstructions for the disabled in the
country that needed immediate action  by the relevant agencies.

He also said that Malaysia had been given the honour to host the
Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled  (Fespic Games), the second
biggest sport-ing event for this group, after the Paralimpiad, in November.
Copyright 2006 Bernama