University Ranking 2005

There is a concern going on about the drop in ranking for Malaysian universities as indicated in the latest Times Higher Education Supplement 2005. University Malaya dropped drastically from 89 in the 2004 ranking to 169 in the latest 2005 ranking. Latest politician to voice this concern was Lim Kit Siang, and our Prime Minister also had mentioned about this the day before. Interestingly amongst the Asian universities, UM is way down as shown below. Other Malaysian universities could not even get to the top 200.

1. Beijing University (China) - 15
2. Tokyo University (Japan) - 16
3. National University of Singapore - 22
4. Kyoto University (Japan) - 31
5. Hong Kong University - 41
6. Hong Kong University Sci & Technol - 43
7. Nanyang Tech University (Spore) - 48
8. Indian Institutes of Technology - 50
9. Chinese University of Hong Kong - 51
10. Tsing Hua University (China) - 62
11. Indian Institutes of Management - 84
12. China University of Sci & Tech - 93
13. Seoul National University - 93
14. Tokyo Institute of Technology - 99
15. Osaka University - 105
16. National Taiwan University - 114
17. Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) - 121
18. Nagoya University (Japan) - 129
19. Tohoku University (Japan) - 136
20. Korea Adv. Inst of Sci and Tech - 143
21. Hiroshima University (Japan) - 147
22. Nanjing University (China) - 150
23. Hokkaido University (Japan) - 157
24. Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China) 169
25. Malaya University - 169
26. City University of Hong Kong - 178
27. Korea University - 184
28. Jawaharlal Nehru University - 192
29. Showa University (Japan) - 198

The rankings are based on many criteria and the most glaring one is the Peer Review Score which is 40% of the overall score. UM got 33% out of 100% on that, which means that UM failed in the Peer Review evaluation.

That suggests that UM's academic is falling short of the desired quality that is expected . The lack of quality publication and research would be the case here. Peer review is about other academics evaluation of UM academics in the international scene. So even amongst the Asian academics, let alone the top 10 universities in US and UK, the other Asian academics don't think much of UM's academics.

Quoted from the article:
"The rankings use the results of a survey of 2,375 academics from across the world. These are combined with a series of measures including the number of times that research papers are cited by academics, staff-to-student ratios and number of students and staff from overseas.

This year's analysis includes for the first time a measure based on the views of international employers on which universities they prefer to recruit from."

The last statement above indicated that our graduates are not attractive enough for the global market. That itself is a loaded suggestion / question, which needs deep analysis, such as, what quality is required to enter the global market?

In UM, the usual thing is to wait for the Vice Chancellor to say something, but there should be a "bottom up" reaction to the problem first, feeding the VC with what is believed to be lacking and then the "top bottom" approach can be taken. That is if we want to be proactive about these things.

During our discussions in faculty meetings, we talk a lot. I mean there is so much banter going about on how to be better and so on, and we must compete with NUS and so on, but the action is only in rhetorics. There was no concrete follow through. There was no taking up of ideas to the next level, and there was no concerted effort to address the issues in terms of real targets that the academics can managed. We could dredge up many problems surrounding this issue, if we start looking in detail.
So, when shall we start to really look at this problem?

Blogger's Business

I wrote this comment in Peter's blog...Again! Yes, just want to put my 'two cents worth' of lecturing input there! Anyway, I thought that I could put an argument about the accountability that bloggers have to make when they post something sensitive, especially those famous bloggers with hundreds of hits a day. So this is my first part of the argument which relates to Peter's post 'An Apology', in his weblog. (Refer to www.petertan.com)

Of Brand XX, sponsorship and charity.

What business are you in? If you are in the business of blogging, do you think that you can say anything, and not get commented upon. Or even complained about?

If you are a blogger and you seek for charitable funds only, then you are similar to a charity organisation. If you are a blogger, and you seek for personal sponsorship and you developed a brand, ie your style of writing, your fan base, your advertisement, your PayPal banner so that people can give money to you, etc, and your blog makes a compulsive read and which gives you rewards for your personal needs and income, say, you are similar to many business and corporations out there. Hence, Xiaxue's blog which overtly advertises itself and get sponsorship deals, and have so many hundreds of readers is - a business / corporation ,isn't it?

It is very simple.

Because the business is disabled friendly, meaning the writing has been putting down disabled people's rights, for example, "So tell me, our government spent millions of taxpayers money to build so many facilities for the physically disabled, and only they are allowed to use it?" (Xiaxue, Oct. 16) hence the business gotta be accountable for its action. Don't you think?

This is nothing new. Businesses get hit back a lot of times, because they are not disabled friendly or there is a cause to complain. We complained once in writing and in the media about an airline that took an hour for a friend of mine to disembark via his wheelchair as they did not do their business properly, and they were not courteous. I wrote to a shopping complex before about letting non disabled people park at designated car parks for the disabled, and I will not hesitate to cc to the Ministry of Local Government to put things right or to write to the media and make the business more accountable.

You know why I do this? Because there is no Disability Discrimination Bill in Malaysia (and if you want to know, neither is there a discrimination bill in most Asian countries including Singapore). If there was a bill as such, all I need to do is just complain to a Commission and they will act upon it, like in the UK, and get compensation. No need all these cc and writing to media stuff. Some other party will do the job for you. No need to get people to put you down in a blog like this. No headache!

But as it is in Asia, we have just got to grit our teeth and fight for our rights the best way we can, and complaining it is!

Do I want to be a pushover and let people walk over me and not get my rights heard? Of course not, and so do you. You may be a parent with small children, and elderly person, or someone who just got discriminated upon. So what do you do? Just lie down low and get stepped on?

Let's face it - businesses can get away with anything. Including the business of blogging. It's part and parcel of the 21st Century issues, but we know businesses are run by people. And people need to be accountable for their actions.

We are no pushover

I have been quite busy nowadays but there is an issue that came up in Peter Tan's blog that I need to mention here. Peter actually wrote a post where he was appalled that a blogger had been insensitive to disabled people's issues and informed the blogger's sponsors of what she had done wrong, ie criticising and putting down disabled people's rights (which you can read via Peter's blog). So a lot of people left comments criticising Peter's action, which I think is not right as people think that disabled people such as Peter is manipulating 'our disability' to get at other people. The issue is not that simple. Hence I had placed my comment which I am pasting here:

Peter Tan was correct to fight back. I am backing what Peter did. I would have done the same. The reason being, people like Xiaxue thinks that she can say what she likes, which can undermine all the efforts of what people were trying to do, which is to fight for the Rights of Disabled People.

Yes, it did not happened overnight. Disabled people along with able-bodied people had been working alongside each other to produce guidelines on how to make the built environment more accessible. Usually it is done outside their working hours, where they worked voluntarily and sacrificing precious time away from family.

In Singapore where Xiaxue comes from, I know personally the individuals from the Singapore Handicapped Association who worked with the Singapore Government, such as the HDB, and the Public Works Department during the evening and weekends, sacrificing their spare time and their family time so as to get the guidelines for disabled toilets and other facilities on board for disabled people to use. They spent for years scouting the Orchard Road area, shopping complexes, government buildings etc making access surveys and giving free consultations to the officers in Government.

What happens in Singapore is made an example in Malaysia and other Asian and Pacific countries when in the 90s, UNESCAP adopted the Singapore guidelines and trained people from all over Asia to fight for the rights of disabled people. Although this is about Accessibility, it touches and effect many other issues relating to disability.

Many of us in this forum may not know that there are kids out there who are disabled that did not get further in life because the environment is disabling, for example, I know of people who stopped schooling just because after 12 years old their parents cannot carry them up the flight of stairs anymore, thus affecting their life’s chances. So many issues, that need to be at the forefront but we can only managed to highlight about Accessibility, which when looking at how developed countries had done it, were the first issues to be highlighted. We in Asia have still a very long way to go.

People need to understand that eventually they will all be handicapped in a way, as they grow older, and their hips and knees start to become arthritic and other ailments come. How to enjoy life when we are older? We see more and more elderly people going out around Orchard Road and other Singapore city spots. There are accessible toilets, so that wheelchairs can fit, lifts, brailled and tactile surfaces, places to sit, and so on, to make life a bit more bearable and enjoyable. For people who has spinal injuries, the time taken to wait for a disabled toilet, may result in him/her getting urinary tract infection, and making a setback to his/her condition, hence the need for people to be sensitive to not use disabled toilets.

If things are not accessible and disabled toilets are not available, how do people get to do what others can easily do?

Why criticise and deny disabled people their rights to living as you do?

So Brand Names like Xiaxue or whatever it may be (such as any other famous bloggers or personalities) or companies or whatever business out there, please be ready when you start critising and putting down disabled people and their rights. We will fight back. We are no pushovers! We know our rights and that is our privilege as human beings!

Pride and Prejudice

A couple of nights ago, I went to see the film, "Pride and Prejudice", based on a Jane Austen novel, capturing the fictional life of Elizabeth Bennet, her sisters and their parents during the Regency period of the Georgian era (late 18th and early 19th century).

Some things were of interest to me, namely;
How Dame Judi Dench and Brenda Blethyn tried to out-do each other with very high quality acting; How this was rubbed off and on to the younger actors like Keira Knightley and the guy who played Mr Darcy; How detailed and exquisite the film sets were in portraying Georgian England; How delicious it felt as the camera picked out the details of that era...etc

I was completely satiated in terms of the performances of the veterans, including Donald Sutherland, and adequately satisfied with the younger performers, but the set and cinematography, that was brilliant!

I wanted to go to Chatsworth, and in the film I was transported there! (That was Darcy's country house in Derbyshire, with the deer park!) And the script was funny! (in a good way)...I was laughing out loud throughout the film. I must admit that I have not read Jane Austen's novels, but now I think I will go and get the whole collection.

All in all, the film is an excellent "social commentary" on life during that period and I learned a lot from that. (It made sense now what Prof. Curl taught me during Architectural History class...) I am looking forward to indulge in "Oliver Twist" next, where I will be transported to the Victorian era, in industrial and congested London. Can't wait!

(Image taken from: http://www.chatsworth-house.co.uk/)

Malaysian Accessibility Issues

I would like to highlight an article that was published in a Malaysian newspaper recently, whereby the Minister for the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development made a statement criticising authorities in local government about the lack of commitment in providing accessible facilities for disabled people and elderly people.

There are a few things mentioned by the Minister. The statistics for elderly people was stated, but not for disabled people. We know that we do not have the correct statistics for disabled people done in the last census of 2000, because the census-taker did not ask about whether there is a disabled person in the household, as pointed out by many people. They could not use the Welfare Department's registration count as it only comes to less than 1% and United Nation's estimates are from 6-10%. So it seems that we will always be stuck when it comes to talking about statistics. Statistics is used to back-up arguments for funding and investment, so we will lose on that issue. The question is, are there any other way to get the right statistics in the near future or do we have to wait for the next census in 2010?

On this piece of news alone, part of the strategy is to go along with the needs of elderly people as part of the needs of disabled people. We cannot leave out elderly people's needs or to be exact, we must mention elderly people in the same breath as disabled people when we advocate about accessibility needs.

I have a feeling that because of statistical reasons, we have been stuck on developing and planning for disabled people in Malaysia, and that is also the reason for the Disabled Person's Act being stuck in Parliament. What do you think?

If you can read in Malay, the article is shown below :

Shahrizat bidas PBT ketepi OKU, warga emas

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil membidas sikap pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) kerana tidak komited dalam menyediakan kemudahan prasarana untuk warga emas dan Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU).

Malah, Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat itu turut meluahkan rasa tidak puas hati dengan tindakan PBT yang hanya mengutamakan kemudahan untuk golongan sihat dan muda.

Beliau berkata, PBT seharusnya menjalankan tugas tanpa mengetepikan kepentingan warga emas yang jumlahnya dijangka meningkat kepada 3.2 juta pada 2020, berbanding 1.66 juta sekarang.

PBT serta Jabatan Perancang Bandar dan Desa perlu merangka pembangunan dengan menyediakan kemudahan yang mesra warga tua dan OKU yang sememangnya banyak disediakan di negara maju dunia.

Sektor swasta juga wajar bekerjasama dalam hal ini dan tidak hanya menyerahkan tanggungjawab untuk mewujudkan prasarana kepada warga emas dan OKU kepada kerajaan semata-mata.

Dalam hal ini, PBT perlu memastikan setiap projek pembangunan yang dilaksanakan swasta terutama di bandar mengambil kira kepentingan warga tua termasuk kemudahan lif, tangga, landasan pejalan kaki dan tandas,

katanya selepas melawat Pusat Jagaan Harian Warga Tua Kampung Cheras Baru dekat sini, semalam.

Turut hadir timbalannya, Datuk G Palanivel, Setiausaha Parlimen; Chew Mei Fun dan Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, Datuk Shamsiah Abdul Rahman.

Shahrizat berkata, sektor swasta juga diharap dapat menyumbang dengan membina lebih banyak pusat jagaan harian atau perumahan khusus untuk kedua-dua kumpulan sasar itu

Kita memohon untuk mendapatkan peruntukan tambahan bagi menambah bilangan pusat jagaan harian dalam komuniti pada Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan (RMK-9).

Kenaikan elaun kepada warga emas juga dikemukakan. Ketika ini 23,500 menerima peruntukan elaun RM28 juta,

katanya.

Selain itu, katanya, pihaknya sedang menjalankan kajian semula Dasar Warga Emas Negara dan Pelan Tindakan Warga Emas bagi memastikan ia relevan dengan keperluan dan cabaran semasa.

Warga emas ditetapkan bagi individu berusia 60 tahun ke atas, bagaimanapun ketika ini pada usia 50 tahun didapati kebanyakan individu masih sihat dan mampu menyumbang khidmat kepada negara,

katanya.

Berikutan itu, kajian semula dijalankan bagi memastikan tenaga mereka tidak disia-siakan,

katanya.

©The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad

Accessibility (3)

Increasingly, the need to have wider and bigger turning radius and dimensions for wheelchair users and their wheelchairs are being debated. Even the recent British Standard 8300: 2001 - Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people, had been criticised for not giving more reserach into this problem.

In a recent posting of an e-group among accessibility experts, Dave Croft, from Swansea, had mentioned this problem, as follows, "It is unlikely that BS8300 12.4.7. dimensions were ever acceptable, as a typical wheelchair is 1200-1350 long and 700 mm wide (wider for heavy people). This dimension does not take into account the increasingly popular sport style wheelchairs which have a wheel span 900-1000 wide. Nor does it take into account indoor/outdoor or outdoor powered wheelchairs, nor other mobility vehicles. At best this dimension is only suitable for domestic use experience and research since the publication of BS8300 suggests a minimum of 1800 long by 950 wide for general public use clear of the door swing, in sport premises and where outdoor power chairs and scooters etc. need to be accommodated the space needs to be even larger."

When I went to Montreal, Canada, in 2002 for a conference, I noticed that the toilet cubicle doors for accessible toilets have about 1000 - 1100 mm opening. I have never encountered a large opening like this in the UK, and more so in Malaysia.

In Malaysia, I find that people usually use the 'domestic use' type of wheelchair with smaller widths, operated manually, rather than the powered ones used more commonly in the UK. I had assumed that in Malaysia, because of high pavements, lack of gentle sloping curbs, and motor vehicles that could be modified easily and cheaply to accommodate these powered wheelchairs, the users have no choice bu to use manually operated ones. But in the near future and the advent of technology and perhaps cheaper technology, is it possible that more of the powered wheelchairs and sports wheelchairs be mad eand used in Malaysia.

In that case, we should anticipate the building design standards to be achieved when such a need happens in the near future.

Access to Historic Buildings - Case Studies

I would like to share a few interesting examples that illustrate best the current issues on Access to Historic Buildings in England and Wales.

Historic buildings are protected by a listing process. There are currently about half a million buildings in the UK being listed. If any work is needed to be done on a listed building, there will be rigorous scrutiny in the planning approval process after the client submit drawings and reports to the local authority concerned.

Let's quickly jump to the two examples of listed buildings that had undergone alteration, refurbishment and additional work in the last five years, since the Disability Discrimination Act started in 1995. The Act, with reference to the Code of Practice Part 3, requires that the duty is on the service provider to make it possible for everyone, including disabled people, to have access to the services provided.

I have mentioned about the Manchester Art Gallery in earlier postings. Another building is the National Gallery, which faces Trafalgar Square in London. Both buildings are Grade One listed. This means that the buildings are highly significant, usually historically and/or architecturally. After DDA (1995), Manchester Art Gallery was altered and added from the year 2000-2002 and the National Gallery was only recently altered and should be completed by now.

MANCHESTER ART GALLERY

This is the front portion of Manchester Art Gallery, where a gradual ramp was built behind the new plinth from the left side as we face the building. The ramp is hardly noticed, hence it is a good example adhering to the principle of 'not creating any visual intrusions' to the facade of the building.

The Athenaeum building sits behind the front building and is part of the Manchester Art Gallery complex. The was a vacant lot besides the Athenaeum building that now houses the new addition to the gallery.
Most of the ancillary spaces such as the main stairs and lifts were built in the vacant lot. In terms of access for those with impaired vision, the glass threads of the main stairs could appear to be unstable, thus unusable.
The front building, a Grade One listed building originally designed by Sir Charles Barry is about 300 mm lower than the Athenaeum building. The new built was set to be the same level with the Athenaeum building in terms of floor levels. Hence there was a need to have a ramp to connect to the front building's 1st floor. Again, the glass ramp could appear to be a 'void' to partly-sighted people. Further more the gradient of the ramp was a bit more steep than it should, which resulted in people using manual wheelchairs having problems negotiating it.
The architect had intended to accentuate the front building by highlighting and separating the new built and the historic, by providing floor lightboxes. Partially sighted people find walking across them to be scary as they could not make out a 'solid' floor.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY, TRAFALGAR SQUARE

Previously people using wheelchairs had to go much further down to the Sainsbury Wing to use the lifts in order to enjoy the gallery.The middle pavillion has a set of stairs, and so do the two sets of pavillion on the left and right as shown in the photo above.
The idea is to 'push inside' the set of stairs and a lift could be found behind the plinth before the stairs, for people to use. This was ingeniously done to the right plinth as shown in the photo above.

Disability Issues (2)

I had just read Peter Tan's blog entry that also included the Ministry of Family, Women and Community Development's reply to his letter. I had commented on the blog and presented my comments as such:

Hi Peter,

Thanks for sharing with us the letter.
This letter gives us the following facts:

1. MFWCD can only do so much. Write letters to other ministries and state ministers, as they do not have in their power to do more than that. Hence, the suggestion to push for the Disabled Persons Act even more to be passed in Parliament and the demand to have a Commission set-up to enforce the Act. The Welfare Department exists to only facilitate issues concerning disabled people.

2. The letter indicate that MFWCD interestingly enough does know of the three by-laws and the knowledge required to understand accessibility in the country. They even had the minister undergone a simulation awareness exercise. This means, we can lobby further for accessibility.

3. The Director General is the administrative mouth-piece of any ministry and it is common that they write on the behalf of the minister. This means that your matter is purely administrative and not personal. What I am trying to say is that, the minister is telling you that she cannot do more than what she had told you, and that administration means that the jurisdiction of this matter lies with others.

The important lesson here is, we cannot wait any longer. We have to get the Act or a discrimination bill push through Parliament. There's no other way, but to get a STATUTORY BODY WITH TEETH to fight for disability issues.

Marmoulak [The Lizard] 2004 - Part 2

I had just seen the film two hours ago. It is really a finely crafted satire, that threads delicately, between 'taking the mickey' out of the mullahs, and a soulful and engaging drama of redemption. It did a lot of things without being overdone, and it tells a very plausible story, where I recalled an acquaintance of mine once did.

I remembered in Pekan, in 1981, when we did measured drawings as a group of architecture students. One of the guys although a bit older than us, looks much older, and he had a spot of beard as well. He decided to wear one of those red and white long head scarfs into a semi turban and a white flowing robe for Friday prayers. He told us that, after the prayers, people at the congregation went to him to shake his hands, literally, went out of their way towards him. A few even kissed his hands.

Back to the film. Even a con artist cum thief or anyone for that matter, with the right garb, the confidence, and some oratory skills could convince people that they are the real deal. A religious leader. But I always think the garb and shall we say, outer form is the first impressionable 'pull' that convince people.

I leave you with some more interesting websites on the film:

Tiscali Film Review

Persian Journal

Marmoulak [The Lizard] 2004 - Part 1

I am in the middle of doing my 2nd chapter and it is not easy. People probably wondering why PhD is so hard, and I tell you why, as now I know why. The writing part of PhD is hard because you need to get the point and elaborate in your own words. You are actually trying to summarize what you read and what you find and summaries of sentences make up paragraphs of summaries (got me?) and from one paragraph to another they have to flow to make a coherent (note) story.

It's like this. Try writing a story from your own words (that may be easy) but try writing a story about a topic (say, pedestrian crossings) based on 3 or 4 different people saying about that topic. Okay, that's one paragraph, try doing 50,000 words! (One paragraph could be 50 words). How many words can you make to write about pedestrian crossings anyway? And, you have to find new things to say about it based on one or more research method/s. Come to think of it, you might just get a Masters in Philosophy only. So, how to get a PhD? I got to figure that out... that's why it's difficult.

Actually, what I want to share today is not about PhD but about the film which I am going to see tonight. It's an Iranian film called Marmoulak, meaning 'The Lizard' It was banned in Iran after being shown for awhile because it was a satire on the ulamak (religious leaders), who did not take kindly to the story. It's a comedy (hence, satire), where a petty thief decided to pose as a mullah to escape jail and it became too much when the people wanted him to be their leader. Well, I am looking forward to see the film.

With all these issues on Muslim Leadership in the UK recently, I am interested to see this film, from the Iranian perspective. So, I hope to give my view on it later. But for the time being, I am sharing something from a film review website.

Here is a review by Michael Hayden,

"...Released in Iran to a whirlwind of protest that made Christian America's reaction to Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ look like a Sunday school scuffle, The Lizard had been hugely popular with the public and broken box office records before the government decided to pull the film under intense pressure from the influential Islamic clergy. The appealing comic set up may give a hint as to why it caused such outcry. Reza (Parvis Parastouie) is a petty thief who escapes jail by posing as a mullah. When he has to stay in disguise for longer than he expected, he accidentally becomes the revered leader of a smalltown mosque, bringing people flooding in with his on the hoof sermons featuring sexual innuendo and references to 'brother' Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. While clearly satirical, The Lizard is never overly cynical, and, with Parastoui's turn, contains a comic performance curiously reminiscent of, and indeed worthy of comparisons to, Eric Morecombe or Les Dawson. It's a million miles, then, from the serious artistic statements of a Kiarostami or a Makhmalbaf for which Iranian cinema is renowned, but that just makes it all the more refreshing..."

Andrew King

Check this out. Quirky humour and art. Using acrylic on canvas and boards, Andrew King creates snippets of humour out of clear, geometrical, tectonic, and defined caricatures. Really inspiring stuff here.

The information provided below were taken from Andrew King's website.

Andrew King Studio
Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, Andrew moved to Ottawa in 1991 to study Industrial Design at Carleton University. During this time, he contributed to the Ottawa Citizen's comics page with a weekly strip entitled "Off The Wall" which was published from 1993 to 1997. A number of his comics were printed in newspapers across North America through King Features Syndicate. Andrew followed his love of cartooning and was accepted into the Television Animation program at Algonquin College where he graduated with Honours in 1997.

After graduating, Andrew began working in television with a number of local animation studios and continued his freelance design and animation work with studios in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. Currently Andrew resides near Westboro in Ottawa, where he continues to work as a freelance designer for animated television shows as well as doing conceptual design work for both live action and video game productions.

During the summer of 2003 while on hiatus between projects, Andrew began to paint. Utilizing his design skills, animation background and uniquely wacky brand of humour, his latest works vary from contemporary landsacpes to almost graphic cartoon style images.

His work has been featured in a number of local art shows, store displays and galleries. Andrew has completed many pieces since 2003, selling works to clients from around the world. His paintings now grace the walls of homes in places as far away as Belgium, Australia, New York City and even an embassy in Bangladesh! His work appeals to a wide range of audiences and continues to evolve as he progresses his artform.


This is called country cottage, and I really love the composition and texture of the painting.

This one is really funny. Something to do with the host trying to humour his guest with his after dinner antics.



This one is about 'nothing to do' and look at the satire and content of this painting. Lovely.

Salford Penitentiary

From October 2002 until the week before last, I studied at the Bridgewater Building, at the Meadow Road Site of the University of Salford.

The university is infamous for its barbed-wire looping around the building facade, parapet walls and fences all over the campus. A Scottish professor in Malaysia used to tell me how terrible the place was, but really, I had no choice as a PhD student. You would be choosing a university for the supervisor more than the university. But after staying here in my 34th month, I now know why.

The Bridgewater Building is located at the other side of the campus across the Peel Park, which unfortunately is lovely with lots of trees, provide hiding places for muggers and rapists. Two women were sexually assaulted last summer at the park, and women must cross the park with an assistant. My friend Stephie said that she had to ask a security guard to cross the park with her most of the times. It is terrible when you are a pedestrian around this area.

But now Stephie and I are at the other side of the campus, with spanking new facilities including cafes, banks, shop, galleries, library, leisure centre etc.

So, the picture below is a reminder of our life at the Salford Penitentiary.... doesn't it look like a prison? No, the broken furniture in the foreground was not the result of inmates throwing them out in a riot. This building will be torn down and I believe the site will be sold.


[Picture taken courtesy of Vanja Garaj. View taken from the pedestrian walkway to the Bridgewater Building.]

Local filmmaking: Breaking the mould

AllMalaysia.info: Local filmmaking: Breaking the mould

What's this then? (Refer to link).
Technical versus Conceptual.
I don't know what's the fuss about.
Okay, I am no film director or film-maker. But I figure that film-making has to do with the creative process, and I know a bit about that.

I find that the best films are not only well conceived, but well executed technically. Films like Wong Kar Wai's '2046', and the Thai movie, 'Last Life in the Universe' are those in the fore-front of cinematic gems.

I think Malaysian movie-makers (if it's true) should stop debating with each other and start pushing ahead film frontiers, and start competing with the others. For example, start competing with the Thais for example.

Well yes, there is the issue of censorship in Malaysia, but to me there is no excuse if you compete individually out there with other foreign films.

I keep on seeing more Thai films being screened in Manchester, and only once in a year, Malaysian films will be screened during the Commonwealth Film Festival and even that only once. If they are lucky, twice.

Thai filmes get screened for a week during regular screen sessions not in a once a year festival.

Perhaps, it is just like Thai football versus Malaysian Football then? Malaysia just have to many internal jealousies and bickering and the Thais just decide to buy Liverpool Football Club and compete with top class teams!

It's all in the attitude, and if we start spending more time on this we will realise that this Malaise (pronounced Malay) have invaded other aspects of the Malaysian life. We need to turn it around. Now.

Discovery Museum

Discovery Museum - Welcome

I am sharing this information on the Discovery Museum in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in North East England.

One of my interviewees said that during the Newcastle Seminar on Historic Environment, organised by the English Heritage, National Trust and the Disability Rights Commission, the CEO of the Discovery Museum himself gave a talk on the accessibility of the museum. It is unusual for the CEO to be interested in such matters.

But he illustrated this example to press the point that when it comes to accessibility, it is not just physical access, ie your ramps and lifts, but it is about cultural and management change in an organisation. And it is best to start from the leadership.

It would be interesting to find out more about the Discovery Museum.

Development of Barrier-free Penang

Tan Kuan Aw sent me a link on the upgrading of pedestrian route in George Town, Penang, and it is good news indeed.

However, I shall include the STAR online article in it's entirety below as the link may cease to exist later on.

The first thing I felt was a sense of immense happiness that the work that I had done with the MPPP and my colleagues in Penang, such as Kuan Aw, has begun to bear some fruits.

I truly hope that this will continue with other barrier-free projects in Penang.

The Star Online > North

Wednesday July 27, 2005

‘User-friendly’ stretch

By TAN SIN CHOW

The 482m-long stretch in Upper Penang Road (UPR) is now user-friendly to the disabled.

Penang Municipal Council pre-sident Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib said the RM4.8mil project, from The Garage in Farquhar Street to the Penang Road-Chulia Street junction, took 10 months to complete.

“The attractive and user-friendly pedestrian walkway is based on a safe city concept.

“It is barrier free and convenient for a wheelchair-bound person to travel from Chulia Street to the E&O Hotel,” he said at the handing-over ceremony of the UPR project in Penang on Monday.

“At the same time, the historical and cultural features in the area have also been preserved for commercial re-stimulation and sustained urban growth.


Two wheelchair-bound people trying out the newly completed pedestrian walkway at the Chulia Street/Penang Road junction.

“For example, we have conserved the tram tracks at Chulia Street and installed several information plaques at strategic locations to highlight the historical buildings there,” he said.

UPR Promotion Society chairman Datuk Eric Lim said the road would be a centre of attraction for both locals and foreign tourists.

“We will stage a series of activities during festive seasons to promote the place,” he said.

Also present was state Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow.

On another matter, Ahmad Phesal said RM4 mil more would be spent to beautify the Gold Bazaar area.

“We will decide on the contractor after an open tender next month.

“Besides, the remaining RM2.6mil from the earlier allocation for a redevelopment project in Little India would also be fully utilised.

“The funds will be used to purchase two premises, which will be turned into information centres, as well as to repaint several old buildings in the area,” he said.

Ahmad Phesal said the council also planned to install 23 close- circuit television cameras at 13 strategic locations recommended by the police in the city.

“The council will bear the cost for the cameras and install them this year,” he said.


© 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)

London

I am in London now. Tomorrow I will travel back to Salford via Manchester. I arrived at London on the 4th of August and nipped over to Cambridge over the weekend.

It has been a hectic 6 days when I had just completed the last and 4th interview just now. I spoke with a person from English Heritage, who was my 'gatekeeper', who helped me immensely by giving the names of people whom I could interview for my research. They come from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Trust and the Historic Houses Association.

Traveling in and around London was at first a very daunting affair, as you can see from reading my previous posts. There was the odd security scare amd I experienced some delays, but generally the traveling was okay. On the 4th of August, security was heightened by added police presence as it was exactly two weeks after the last attempt of bombing and four weeks after the first bombings. Police were everywhere, on the platforms, at the concourse, scrutinising everyone. I also get the feel of people eyeing my rucksack when I enter a carriage.

I will be glad to get back and get on with my work. Summer will be over soon.

Grey Foxes & Red Squirrels

They are so amazing. Look at their bushy tails.

I am no expert on animals, so I am not going to say much. Just would like to share the images I have found.

So, have you heard the story about the Grey Fox who fell in love with the Red Squirrel? Hmmm...inter-species love story. How about that one, huh?











I had uploaded these various images of grey foxes and red squirrels from a few websites.

From Bentong to Manchestee (Part 1)

I live in Salford, about 7 minutes drive away from my school at the University of Salford. I live near Sedgely Park in Higher Broughton. The area is full of kosher food eateries and synagogues.

It is part of a bigger area called Prestwich, which straddles on both Bury City Council and Salford City Council. It is complicated but if you come here, the character is easily discernible by a strong community identity of the predominantly Jewish neighbourhood, leafy with handsome houses on relatively clean streets. Well dressed children, men with hats and suits and women with dresses are a common sight walking along the pavements and streets. Most women wear long skirts (no pants), so people would look at me with a question, although there are non-Jewish people around. Perhaps they were thinking 'from where do I come from'. I have not met any Malaysians living in Prestwich.

I used to live in Withington, in South Manchester, before moving to Prestwich, which is 20 minutes drive away from school. I needed to pass Rusholme, a local tourist area, which is famous for the mile-long street full of curry houses where you could find 52 halal restaurants, for your once a week different curry experience!


Here is part of Rusholme, and at the corner is Jaffa and further down is Sinbad, that caters for Arabic food. The former is owned by Palestinians and the latter by Iraqians.

I often buy halal meat in this area rather than around Cheetham Hill where many Malaysians live, although Cheetham Hill is nearer to me. I don't frequent Cheetham Hill that much, except to visit Suraya. I use to visit Khairuddin and Zaleha, his wife, before they left for good. Once and awhile I buy some halal meat there.



In central Manchester, at the very beginning of my stay, I use to hang out around St Peter's Square, where the Central Library is as shown above, but my usual venue is the Manchester City Art Gallery. I was first attracted to it because the additional design in 2002 was done by Sir Michael Hopkins, and the original was done by Sir Charles Barry.

He was the architect for the Houses of Parliament in the early to mid- Victorian Era, but I really like the Neo-Classical design of the art gallery in Manchester. It is interesting to note that he designed the Houses of Parliament with Pugin in Neo-Gothic and is equally competent at designing a Neo-Classical masterpiece like the art gallery. He finished the building of the Manchester City Art Gallery in 1824-35, and right after that, subsequently did the House of Parliament in London, which completed in 1868. He had died earlier in 1860.


The front elevation of Sir Charles Barry's building which is a Grade 1 listed building. A two way tram rail-line runs along Moseley Street. Accessible carparks exist at the side roads.


The front elevation's detail of the pediment on top of the portico, which is the main entrance of the building.

I shall write more about the Manchester City Art Gallery later on as it is the pilot study for my thesis.

Tactile Maps

Tactile means 'capable of perception by the sense of touch'.

I was exposed to this idea a few years ago on access features for blind and partially-sighted people.* I heard of tourist venues such as zoos and parks where maps could be read from a tablet hung from one's neck while walking around the place and touching signs and posts.

Someone I know who is blind had used an audio aid or device when visiting an art gallery, and had the exhibits confused as the description from the aid did not match the exhibits. It would not have mattered if his companion is also blind, as they could not touch the objects to verify the fact, obviously! I am sure a technical solution is at hand, if we complain about that, but it is annoying when something does not work.

Marcus mentioned about a tablet that can be connected to a computer and be used by touch which have 12 different layers. He said a better tactile map is available at the Tower of London, compared to the one below. The Cambridge ones that were taken and shown below are found near King's Parade, in front of the Great St. Mary's church. There are similar ones in York. However, these are not portable and not updatable.






Some websites that have more information about tactile maps;

Best practice guidelines for the design, production and presentation of vacuum formed tactile maps
Tactile maps with braille labels
Mapping for the Vision Impaired

* The term 'visually-impaired' is commonly used. However, it is not really correct, as it would mean 'ugly'. So, 'vision-impaired' is correct. But when consulted, blind people do not mind being referred to as 'blind people' rather than just 'the blind'.

Disabled-friendly Upper Penang Road Comment

Today's post is referring to Peter Tan's latest post on Disabled-friendly Upper Penang Road.

I know how unfriendly some of the street environment in George Town, Penang. I was happy to read what Peter Tan posted, and that he was venturing forth with Tan Kuan Aw on one of these 'auditing and reviewing' mission that many disabled people tend to be consulted with. I wish very much that many more people are like Tan Kuan Aw, and hope that Peter Tan would be interested to educate himself and others on how to specify to the architects and local authorities on exactly what should be done. This posting has made me realised the importance of myself in assisting with this knowledge, and I should be back there in Malaysia to help out. But I also need to do what Kuan Aw suggested that is to write articles on Accessibility, which I had made some trial runs here in my blog.

Here is my comment on Peter Tan's post:

This is an interesting development.

I think it is high time disabled people should start educating themselves on what are good and bad accessible designs. See SDPP website for accessibility guidance.
http://www.disabledpersonspenang.org/access.htm

And we not only say what we think is wrong but actually could recommend to MPPP or other council officers or architects what is the best design to be used.

We need to have an accessibility checklist / access survey / access audit based on these guidance which are already available at SDPP website, when consulted by service providers and authorities.

With more and more disabled people educating and promoting Non-Handicapping Environment or Barrier-Free Environment, by specifying exactly what they need and be satisfied with, others will also be educated. That is the first step.

The second step is to highlight via media and promote to the public why there should not be abuse to these facilities. Then the enforcement of the authorities should be made, as disabled people should be able to take to court authorities that do not enforce what they can do under their jurisdiction, which is fining people who abuse the facilities. Refer The Streets, Drainage and Building Act, Uniform Building By-Law 34A.

But first, disabled people would need to take the first step!