March 16: SEVERAL wheelchair users were left disappointed and upset after a trip to a premier tourist spot in Kuala Lumpur revealed some accessibility issues for disabled people.

“After attending a conference last Wednesday, a few of us were keen to take two of our foreign speakers who are wheelchair users around to show off the ‘accessible’ sections of our capital city.

“We had planned to get to Suria KLCC, board the LRT and head to KL Sentral,” said Association of Women with Disabilities Malaysia president K. Bathmavathi, 55.

“After being dropped off at Suria KLCC in a wheelchair-accessible van, we had to ask around for directions as there were no signs directing us to the LRT station.

“Upon entering the passageway linking Suria KLCC and the KLCC LRT station, we were stopped abruptly when we were greeted by a flight of steps flanked by escalators leading down to the next level. Attached to the stairs was a folded stair lift,” she said.

Bathmavathi and her friends sought the assistance of two security guards nearby.


“One of them said he had to get the key from the office to unlock the stair lift,” she said.

“He went off to get it, but there was no sign of him after 15 minutes had passed by.”

Bathmavathi’s attempt to contact KLCC’s communications manager was in vain as the person was away at a meeting.

“I conveyed our predicament to the staff who answered the phone. She said she would send another guard over to look into the problem,” she said.

“The earlier guard came back shortly with the key and fiddled with some gadgets attached to the bannister, but to no avail. It was obvious that none of them knew how to operate the stair lift!”

Describing it as a harrowing experience, Bathmavathi said: “In all, the five of us wheelchair users were robbed of some 30 minutes and subjected to undue frustration and anger.

“Most importantly, our right to freedom of movement was curtailed at that point when we could not proceed with our travels. We abandoned our travel plan and left,” she said.

Ironically, the event they attended was the National Conference on Accessibility and Universal Design: Implications for Public Transport and the Built Environment.

It was a similar experience for Beautiful Gate Foundation for Disabled people executive director Pastor Sia Siew Chin when she attempted the same thing the following day.

Sia, 44, who was travelling with several foundation members was left waiting for about 15 minutes while some security guards tried to assist them in unlocking the stair lift.

“In the end, we were informed that the stair lift was out of order, so we had to call for the van.

“On Wednesday, the guards even suggested that we use the escalator to go down, which would have been dangerous.

“An elevator would’ve been a better and safer option for us, but there was none there,” she said.

“A stair lift is not a good solution as somebody needs to be on standby to operate it. Plus, it deprives the disabled of the freedom to move and makes them dependent on help,” Sia said.

Kenneth Thian, 42, said it was important for the management to engage a technician’s services to ensure that the stair lift was functional at all times.

“All the guards should be properly trained to operate the stair lift and help wheelchair users,” he said.

“Whoever is stationed nearest the stair lift should have the keys, instead of the present system where only the supervisor has the key,” he said.

To better promote Malaysia as a tourist destination, Sia said there should be universally accepted disabled-friendly equipment at major tourist attractions, public places, and public transport.

“It was embarrassing for us because we had some foreign guests with us,” she said.

Sia said providing disabled-friendly facilities should not be viewed as an extra cost, but as an investment to generate income for tourism.

Both Bathmavathi and Sia said the matter had been highlighted at a council comprising some 10 disability organisations that would look into fighting for the group’s rights.

When contacted, KLCC Property Holdings Bhd declined to comment.

Source: http://thestar.com.my