A dangerous world for the disabled

Anthony SB Thanasayan

Anthony SB Thanasayan is a wheelchair user who is powered by his service dogs who help him stay on top of life. He is president of Malaysia's first and only animal-assisted therapy society called Petpositive.

Published: 23 November 2015

 

Like most Malaysians, I was shocked to wake up to the news more than a week ago about the terrorist attack in Paris, France.
 

One of the parts, which most caught my attention was an eye-witness account of how they deliberately hunted down disabled people during the Friday night massacre in the Bataclan concert hall.
 

The report by the Telegraph spoke of how gunmen went to the disabled seating section and shot at handicapped concert-goers.

It is not difficult to imagine how extremely vulnerable the victims would have felt with their walking sticks, white canes or in their wheelchairs with virtually nowhere to escape the rain of bullets in a large, dark and deadly room. 

 

Discussing this incident with some of my able-bodied friends, I was surprised to discover that some of them were stunned by this.
Somehow they thought that when it came to crime, criminals would at least show some sympathy to disabled people, they told me.
 

Not true at all.
 

Years ago during my brief homestay experience in the United States, I met a 30-something-year-old gentleman in a wheelchair.
He and I lived in a shelter for the homeless in California.
He was the admiration of many.
 

He had strong arms and would travel to work in his wheelchair independently using public transport.
 

But what shocked me was when he told me that he was a victim of not one, but two near-death muggings.
 

He was beaten to a pulp twice in alleys with his wheelchair destroyed the first time, and taken away from him the second time.
All this for only a few dollars in his wallet.
 

His attackers only saw his disability as an easy target to commit their crime.
 

Miraculously he survived to tell his story. Passers-by came to his rescue after his assailants were long gone.
 

The good news is that none of the incidents stopped him ever from going out again. He continued to go about with his routine.
 

Closer home, my friend from Kepong in Kuala Lumpur got a taste of a similar nasty experience some months ago when she and her husband, both wheelchair users, were asleep in their bedroom.
 

Three masked young men armed with machetes broke into their house through their back door in a night of terror and ransacked their home.
 

They took away their wheelchairs, gagged their mouths with a cloth and tied them to their beds until they had relieved them of their possessions.
 

The disabled couple's maid was asleep upstairs all the while and only realised what had happened when she woke up in the morning.
Sadly in my friend's case, the crooks were never caught to this day.
There are many disabled people who continue to remain victims of crime almost on a daily basis.
 

From those who suffer physical and sexual abuse in their homes to handicapped people out in the streets who go about earning their living.
 

I know of situations where disabled members in a family who are afraid of reporting a family member for sexual abuse because they are dependent on their very help for survival.
 

There are also those who suffer physical abuse or constant harassment and taunting from an older person in the family which the police, unfortunately, don't take seriously because it involves "family members".
 

The blind have often complained about Good Samaritans who turn out to be wolves in sheep's clothing.
 

These are strangers who help them across the street, then take off with their purses and wallets.
 

Some even leave them midway on the road during the crossing and snatch away their white canes to further disorientate them while the thieves make their getaway.
 

Blind women have also spoken about being molested in buses or in lonely areas in the streets.
 

Thieves have also entered massage parlours run by the blind and robbed them.
 

Each time it is difficult to identify the assailants because the victims are blind themselves.
 

The deaf also are unable to scream out when a crime is happening to them. It is not easy for them to make a police report afterwards if no one in the police station is familiar with sign language.
 

And it's not easy if you are in a wheelchair either, especially when you are driving and have a wheelchair logo on your car.
 

I encountered a group of young men in Kuala Lumpur once who were pretty annoyed with my driving.
 

I was keeping to the speed limit of 50km in the city, more so as I have problems with balance due to my paralysed legs.
 

The four impatient men in their car kept forcing me to drive faster with rude hand signs which I ignored.
 

At one point, they overtook my car and suddenly stopped their car in front of mine forcing me to hit the brakes in my hand powered vehicle.
 

Suddenly, it was only their car and mine on the road with no one else.
 

They opened all their doors and put out their legs as if to say they were coming out of their car to get me.
 

It was at that moment when my guardian angel, my Rottweiler service dog, who had been sleeping motionlessly in the back seat all the while, decided to stand up to see what the commotion was all about.
 

With all of them suddenly looking as if they had seen a ghost, they pulled back their legs into the car, slammed the doors and sped off as fast as they could.
 

You see friends, whether there are terrorists or not, it is still a very dangerous world out there for many of us! – November 23, 2015.

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What a bleak Deepavali

Anthony SB Thanasayan

Anthony SB Thanasayan is a wheelchair user who is powered by his service dogs who help him stay on top of life. He is president of Malaysia's first and only animal-assisted therapy society called Petpositive.

Published: 16 November 2015

While last Tuesday’s Festival of Lights was marked with lots of happiness and prosperity for many, it took on a more solemn meaning for some of my friends and me.
 

I had to turn down many Deepavali open house invitations.
 

This was because of a special water-drinking (hydration) exercise I had been following according to doctor’s order since I had a bad attack of urine infection about a month ago.

I mentioned this in my column last week. It requires me to drink about two litres of water daily and then promptly empty the bladder every three hours in order to prevent another infection from recurring.
 

House visits are not good in such situations, especially if you can’t fit a wheelchair in the toilet.
 

The good thing that came out from the experience though is that I’ve succeeded in changing my drinking habit and lifestyle.
 

I now have learnt to pay more attention to my bladder – something which we wheelchair users are often guilty of not doing until it becomes a serious problem.
 

One of my good friends suffered some bad news when his therapy dog of 10 years of age died of cancer on the eve of Deepavali.
My friend is in his 80s and has diabetes.
 

His canine companion had been keeping him company – and motivated – since his wife’s death.
 

The two grew extremely close, making the perfect bond between man and dog.           
 

His dog managed to have an incredible positive impact on his health.
 

My friend was in tip-top shape because of his daily long walks with his dog. He never missed his hospital appointments or his follow-up treatment.
 

My friend was always careful about his diet in keeping his blood sugar count at healthy levels. He did this because he didn’t want to end up in hospital and be separated from his dog.
 

This is one of the goals in animal-assisted therapy.
 

His dog shared every part of his life.
 

My friend would take his dog on long drives, share every part of his home with his furry companion and even sleep with his pet in his air-conditioned bedroom.
 

Despite his loss, however, the good news is my friend is thinking of getting another dog.
 

He is thinking of a rescued canine this time round.
 

He, however, said he would do it only when he was ready for all the responsibilities involved with that decision.
 

Some of the hardest hit during Deepavali were Hindu wheelchair users who were looking forward to the festive season.
 

Quite a few of them – particularly from Ulu Selangor – did not get their monthly allowance of RM350 from the Welfare Department (JKM).
 

And they still haven’t paid.
 

Some told me that they kept going to the bank every day until the eve of Deepavali and were disappointed to find their money, which usually comes in by the first week, not there.
 

While the lucky ones managed to borrow some money from their friends, others had to cut down on their celebrations.
 

This meant their children could not get new clothes and gifts, or watching the latest Indian movie in the cinema. There were also no special meals or treats.
 

Trips to their hometowns were also cancelled simply because they could not afford to travel. The goods and services tax has especially taken an unkind cut on them since its introduction.
 

Not disbursing their monthly allowances in time, especially during festivities, should be solved at once.
 

JKM must understand how important the money – no matter how tiny the sum – is for disabled recipients during such occasions.
 

There is simply no excuse for such a thing from happening.
A truly caring society would have taken the initiative to avoid such an incident.
 

My disabled friends in the poorer areas also told me they were left out of receiving “goodie bags” handed out by state assemblymen in their areas.
 

Some even claimed that the vouchers ended up with “friends of resident head representatives” or “persons valued for their votes” instead of those truly needy.
 

Other disabled people said they never received the allocations despite approaching the sources directly for help.
 

Centres for the disabled also reported a decrease in visits and financial support from organisations and the public this year. – November 16, 2015.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

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Little things help a lot

Anthony SB Thanasayan

Anthony SB Thanasayan is a wheelchair user who is powered by his service dogs who help him stay on top of life. He is president of Malaysia's first and only animal-assisted therapy society called Petpositive.

Published: 9 November 2015

 

When you are in a wheelchair, sometimes you can find yourself in situations where your "enemy" is inside of you rather than around you.
 

For the past several weeks, I've been battling with one of the bane of wheelchair-users: urinary tract infection or UTI.
 

This happens when bacteria enter your bladder or kidneys and cause you to have symptoms like fever, chills, and feeling "lousy" or tired.

The first to know about my condition (next to my doctor) was the editor of this column. I was afraid that because of it, it may result in interruptions in submitting my weekly articles. Fortunately, it didn't happen.
 

However, what terrified me at one point was when a private laboratory test on my urine indicated that the oral antibiotics which I was taking to arrest the problem wasn't doing the job.
 

It was suggested that I get myself admitted into a hospital for at least one week and switch over to more powerful doses of antibiotics, given intravenously.
 

This meant that I would have to take the antibiotics in an injection form at least three times a day.
 

While able-bodied people could easily skip the admission part by turning up at the hospital for their injections during the daily intervals, doing it in my wheelchair and having to turn up at the hospital three times a day was a virtual impossibility.

Not only would I need physical assistance each time from my friends to do that but the frequent transferring from my car and into my wheelchair would definitely make a mess of the needle that would have to be planted in my arms during my treatment.
 

Fortunately for me, that nightmare also didn't come true.
Instead, I found a great government specialist who decided to repeat my urine test in her hospital. The results amazingly proved negative.
 

The oral antibiotics which the earlier test had said was ineffective had, in fact, done the job to fight the infection.
 

The specialist also went the extra mile to listen to all my questions and explain in great detail what I needed to do to keep the infection away.
 

I had to drink at least two litres of water each day. I also had to make it a point to empty my bladder once every three hours.
Holding our bladders for more than that would only invite infection to set in.
 

This is one of the chief reasons public buildings from government ones to churches, sports centres and others should provide disabled-friendly toilets for the disabled and the elderly.
 

Our local authorities should see to it that this is done or threaten to remove the licences from their services to operate.
 

People with disabilities should not to be told to where adult diapers instead or given excuses when such buildings fail to provide such facilities.
 

Sometimes even the Welfare Department don't really bother to check if the hotels and other buildings where they organise events for the disabled are fully wheelchair friendly.
 

It not only shows their ignorance of disabled persons' needs but also demonstrates how much they are willing to go when it comes to providing disabled-friendly facilities.

During my recovery, I also came across a private general practitioner who kindly entertained my health queries without any complaints when I rang her up.

And she didn't charge me a sen for all her medical advice.
Having exceptional friends is also a great help during difficult times.
 

My best friend did the running around to pass my urine samples to collecting the necessary medication for me while I was stuck at home.

There is so much that the able-bodied can do for disabled and elderly people which many don't realise.
 

These include collecting their medication in the hospital or accompanying them for their doctor's appointment. They may need help to get a wheelchair in the hospital or be wheeled to the doctor's clinic.
 

Having someone to talk to can also calm the frazzled nerves of someone waiting to hear about their medical results or in some sort of pain or discomfort.
 

The difficulties I went through recently, I was most touched by the doctors and my friend who helped me.
 

Little things often make a huge difference!
 

PS: Thank you to my editor for kindly bending my deadline submissions for my articles during my illness. – November 8, 2015.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

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Parents can help fight stigma on disabled

Anthony SB Thanasayan

Anthony SB Thanasayan is a wheelchair user who is powered by his service dogs who help him stay on top of life. He is president of Malaysia's first and only animal-assisted therapy society called Petpositive.

Published: 2 November 2015

 

There is great love and joy to be shared among friends and participants when people with disabilities and their caregivers come together for a united cause.
 

That was exactly what happened when 400 Malaysians came together recently for “Picnic in the Park” in Taman Tasik Shah Alam several weeks ago.
 

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) called Malaysian Advocates for Cerebral Palsy (MyCP) was responsible to put the event together.

They did this with help from others to coincide with World Cerebral Palsy Day 2015 that is held on the first Wednesday of October every year. Around 70 families of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), special guests, volunteers, supporters and media attended the extraordinary picnic.
 

The park was filled with mostly children with CP and their parents who were beaming from ear to ear, as they were given a chance to be loud and proud to be who they are in a public place.
 

This is a very unusual sight even today. There are still parents who tend to hide their children from the public eye when they have a disability.
 

This event however, was a wonderful testimony of how parents of the disabled are playing a key role to change negative perceptions about Malaysians with disabilities.
 

Additionally, the event was filled with volunteers who were young people. Many of them are students in the medical field.
 

The opportunity to mix around with the disabled (outside a hospital environment) would have done wonders in teaching them that disabled children should not only be viewed as “patients”, but as “normal human beings” – once they grow up and go to work in the real world.
 

One of the top highlights at the park were two short talks given by two adults – a gentleman and a lady – with CP.
 

Everyone were in rapt attention as the duo shared the challenges they faced from childhood until they graduated from college and university.
 

It raised the hope to everyone that anyone with a disability can succeed in life – provided they are given the right amount of support from their families and the authorities.
 

“One thing for sure, there was a big smile in each and every of the children and adults with CP that turned up to the event,” Rafidah Rafizah Ahmad, the co-founder of MyCP told me after the programme.
 

"We wish more people will get to know about CP and support our cause by accepting individuals with CP as part of society. After all, we are all humans – no more, no less", added the mother of 10-year old Izdihar Janna who also has CP.
 

The first MyCP Picnic in the Park held last year was an instant hit with the local disabled community.
 

MyCP which is three-years old, started as a simple online support group for individuals and families with CP on Facebook.
 

It gave them an opportunity to interact and communicate with each other as never before.
 

As it took root, more parents of CP children and adults began joining in realising that they were not alone – and that when it comes to children with special needs, there is always hope.
 

Picnic in the Park was the perfect way for the group to meet each other and advocate more support for people with CP.
 

It was a great reason for parents to bring out their children with CP and have a good time with others like them.
 

On each event, special games are specially organised by parents of CP children who take great pains to look into the aspects of wheelchair accessibility, safety, comfort and joy of the children to enhance their participation in the parks.
 

The recent smoke was a particular concern for children with CP as they are prone to respiratory related problems. Fortunately, special care was given to them, which in the end, reduced the effects of smoke on everybody.
 

Check out MyCP's Facebook page for more info and future events. You can also follow Janna’s journey at her Facebook page. – November 2, 2015.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

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Join hand (and paws) ro put an end to rabies

Join hands (and paws) to put an end to rabies

Anthony SB Thanasayan

Anthony SB Thanasayan is a wheelchair user who is powered by his service dogs who help him stay on top of life. He is president of Malaysia's first and only animal-assisted therapy society called Petpositive.

Published: 28 September 2015

Today, September 28, is World Rabies Day.
 

Until more than a week ago – when news of a rabies outbreak in the states of Perak, Kedah and Penang had suddenly erupted and gripped the nation - I didn't even know that such an international event existed.
And I'm sure that by now you have heard it all.

The war of views between the veterinary and health experts and animal welfare groups. There is no need to bore you and repeat it here. However, I did jot down several points of interest which I thought was worthwhile for some of us to think about. They are listed in no particular order:
 

Get the facts! I discovered that being emotional never helped at all.

Of course, it was terribly upsetting to realise that all strays in the affected states would need to be killed in order to try and stamp out rabies before it took root and turned into an epidemic within three weeks.

The reason to include so-called "healthy" strays in the target list was because it was virtually impossible to say which dogs are affected and which aren't. And with no sufficient rabies vaccines available for now, there was really no time to lose.
 

Culling is critical: Despite all the criticism over culling, I realised that sometimes it was a necessary evil – especially in the beginning stages.

In fact, the WHO in Geneva supports it - along with the World Organisation for Animal Health or OIE in France. They both apparently already possess a working relationship with our Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) in Putrajaya for some time now.

However, it must be pointed out that the culling they are speaking about is "humane culling". This specifically means by way of euthanasia. The culling methods these organisations condemn are poisoning dogs, electrocuting and bludgeoning them to death. These have been employed by several countries including China in the wake of rabies.

The way I see it, we are very lucky here because with an army of more than 200 veterinarians deployed to the northern region, the strays are all being put to sleep in a humane way. And that, I think, is the best thing that any animal lover the world over can be thankful for in a situation where there is no other pathway than to take this horrible road to hell situation.
 

Vaccination a must: The WHO and the OIE do, however, insist a vaccination programme must follow with humane culling. And I'm glad that the DVS has clarified that these exercises are already being done with owners' dogs as they await more vaccines.

The bottom line with all this is, I am happy and confident with how the DVS and the three affected local governments have been handling the matter under their supervision.
 

Rabies a game-changer for all: It can't be denied that the return of rabies since we were free of it from 1999 has affected us all. Local councils should get more serious by setting up a regular committee to meet at least monthly to tackle stray management problems. They should invite animal welfare organisations to assist them with ideas and hold dog awareness programmes like talks, events and activities with residents to inculcate responsible pet ownership. Local councils should also work closely with the DVS, which they rarely do – except for when a crisis occurs.

Animal welfare groups should get out of their high chair and build a working and lasting relationship with local councils. They should stop criticising them all the time and establish common grounds where they can work with them in order to help improve the quality of lives of all animals under their jurisdiction.

Feeders of strays should now rethink their practice in focusing how their efforts will not create vulnerability among the strays they want to help. Perhaps now they can better appreciate the reason why local councils have always warned them about feeding strays instead of having them rehomed.

Animal lovers are also likely to understand the role of dogcatchers now – and why they catch strays off the streets, risking their own lives as they do it.

Animal lovers and groups need to also look beyond themselves and their dogs to understand the rights of other citizens who wish to walk in a park without being attacked by strays, stop blaming children when strays bite them and pay attention to all the local council laws when keeping a dog or cat.
 

One of the ugliest things that I witnessed in this episode was how Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was cursed for ordering the culling of stray dogs in Penang.
 

Not only did these so-called "dog lovers" post nasty things about him in his Facebook page, but some even wished that he and his family would die for the "karma" he is responsible for in culling strays.
 

Now that hurts.
 

Not just because of the words themselves but for the fact that there were supposedly "dog loving people". Dogs by nature are known to be all forgiving and loving.
 

I recall many years ago when I was at a meeting attended by some VIPs. Because I had no means of transport (a friend dropped me off) I went around the room asking virtually everyone for a lift back to my home.
 

They all turned me down except for one guy who said, "Yes."
 

He helped carry me into his car first and then my wheelchair into his car boot.
 

I taught him how to fold my wheelchair. I showed him which parts of it came off and where to place my cushion.
 

Little did I realise then that the kind and caring gentleman who helped me that day would not only one day turn out to be a chief minister of Penang but that he would also be the one fighting very hard today in the state to keep all humans and dogs safe in the wake of this dreaded and deadly disease.
 

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/anthony-sb-thanasayan/article/join-hands-and-paws-to-put-an-end-to-rabiesHe needs all our support at this time to help us put an end to rabies threat in Malaysia. – September 28, 2015.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

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Be thoughtful when you visit homes were disabled people are

Sensitivities to observe when visiting the disabled and elderly

Anthony SB Thanasayan

Anthony SB Thanasayan is a wheelchair user who is powered by his service dogs who help him stay on top of life. He is president of Malaysia's first and only animal-assisted therapy society called Petpositive.

Published: 16 March 2015

 

When it comes to spending festive occasions and holidays with our loved ones, most of us immediately think of attending open house visits.
 

If it's not that, then it is probably that perfect opportunity to make some time to catch up with long, lost old friends in our favourite cafe – or doing whatever it is to have a good time.The recent Chinese Lunar New Year was a good example.
 

However, when I called a good friend of mine last week to ask her how she had spent her holidays with her family, I was left speechless! I couldn't help noticing her having a delicious good chuckle as she related her story.
Margaret has two disabled persons in her home: her young son and his aging grandmother. With both of them having to use wheelchairs in order to get around, welcoming the Year of the Goat – or any other animal signs in the Chinese zodiac calendar for that matter – can be challenging and complicated, she told me. For instance, when her friends started their festive spring cleaning, she decided to give it a miss. As a result, Margaret received endless comments and questions from visitors to her home on why her ceiling and fans were not in a spick-and-span state to their expectations?
 

My friend's amusing and witty answer to them was there was no need for any "extras" as scrubbing and cleaning are what she does daily anyway, to make her home liveable and happy.
 

There is a mat on the floor in her living room all the time for her son to rest on. Special rehabilitation toys are also placed there for him to play with. Nearby are his stroller, walker and other equipment.
 

Whilst those without disabled children may find them "untidy" and may want to put them away, it is part of Margaret's child's daily life for instilling creativity skills in the lad. They need to be accessibleto the boy all the time.
 

Visitors to her home are forbidden to check out the store room in the house just in case they go into "sudden shock" upon discovering Margaret's collection. It's filled with wheelchairs, strollers, walking and standing frames, as well as household stuff like old newspapers.
 

Having two members with physical disabilities going out on visits to loved ones and friends is quite a task. As a caregiver, there are time limits to observe.
 

One needs to be sensitive as to how long before the disabled visitor tires from the visit and needs to get home. If you are away from the handicapped person for a while, you need to know when your time is up and you need to return home to him. 

 

And when you are with them you need to stay focused on the person you are caring for.
 

With such constraints, it made more sense to have the non-disabled relatives and friends come over instead. However, visits during meal times, rest and bathing and "toilet time" are best avoided.
 

Grandma, for instance, has become incontinent. She, however, refuses to wear a diaper. And it isn't easy to force an 80-year-old to do something which she is not used to doing. Even the doctors and nurses found it hard to make her wear one when she was hospitalised. So there are times where "accidents" occur.
 

Friends and relatives should understand situations like this, when they are paying visits to elderly persons.
 

Festivities always signal the abundance of food. Like all of us, the temptation to overeat or eat something which is unsuitable happens. For grandma, this can either end up with super low or super high blood glucose counts which causes her to feel giddy. Things become more complicated with loose bowel movements and diarrhoea.
 

When visiting people in such conditions, it would be tactful not to mention how someone's room may smell or look, considering their vulnerabilities and never forgetting that your roles there are as guests of the home.
 

Those playing with fireworks and firecrackers should have some consideration of how the loud sounds and bangs affect children and animals. Margaret says they are never allowed in her home. 

 

Her son gets terrified of the sounds. It wakes him up from sleep and starts crying and doesn't go back to bed until several hours later.
The insufficient sleep even makes him go into seizure attacks. The loud sounds goes on almost daily for about a fortnight, making sleep a nightmare for the boy. 

 

On top of this, she also has to calm down her two pet dogs who are equally terrified by the firecrackers.
 

So this is how it was for Margaret and her family and how they managed to cope and survive during the holidays.
 

Despite what she has to go through every day in her life, she is never one to complain about it. Margaret says she just wants to make people understand that if you are living with people with disabilities, there are certain challenges – as well as sensitivities to look out for – which people go through in life that require some special understanding and support.
 

Although Margaret herself has been suffering with some persistent back pain lately, she says she enjoys cooking, eating, entertaining people and meeting new friends. Then there are always those moments when she enjoys a cuppa over a nice comedy on television, or have a few friends over with food from the shops in order to chat and laugh away a couple of hours, especially when there is a holiday.
 

Otherwise, it's on the daily go for appointments and regular follow ups in the hospital, therapy centre and her son's special school. – March 16, 2015
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

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Tips on fine-tuning disabled transport

Fine tuning disabled transport

Anthony SB Thanasayan

Anthony SB Thanasayan is a wheelchair user who is powered by his service dogs who help him stay on top of life. He is president of Malaysia's first and only animal-assisted therapy society called Petpositive.

Anthony SB Thanasayan

Published: 9 March 2015

 

It was sweet music to the ears of residents with disabilities in Shah Alam, Selangor, when a local daily last week reported that the City Council (MBSA) is now providing free transport services for handicapped people.
No one jumped for joy at the news more than persons with physical and walking disabilities, whom this facility is all about.
The services, provided by two vehicles, is now said to be running on weekdays from 8am until 5pm.

It is given free of charge, enabling and ensuring most disabled people can have unimpeded access to them – whether or not they are employed or can afford it. This is certainly money put to good use. The MBSA deserves high praise for such a move.
By doing so, it successfully places itself among the ranks of being the second local council in the state and nation (next to the Petaling Jaya City Council or MBPJ) – to provide such a facility in the city.
This unique service will effectively reach out further, and deeper into the disabled community to serve those who desperately require it.
I'm referring to profoundly disabled persons who are virtually stuck to their beds and can't get out of their homes.
They find it more difficult to do physical transfers, and thus are unable to use conventional transport like cars and taxis to get around.
The van which MBSA provides is an excellent alternative.
It is able to take them in, complete with them sitting in their wheelchairs. They get in on a special built-in lift from the back of the vehicle. No need for abandoning their wheelchairs and shifting their bodies onto the van's seats are required.
Having said all this though, in order to make their services top class to its handicapped users, MBSA needs to look into the following.

• Prevent abuse and promote education: Ensure that the van service is being used by the poor and not the rich. Domination by the rich who often have alternative means of transport defeats the purpose of a van service to help the needy.
  MBSA should conduct publicity of the van's services in all the poor areas of Shah Alam. Leaflets in a variety of languages should be distributed to the various communities and NGOs helping them. Even passing them on to mosques, churches, temples, hospitals and clinics is a good idea in making sure the message is spread out to as many people as possible.
  The best approach is to be able to speak to the disabled directly. However, this is not easy as many of them seldom come out, thinking that "their lot in life" is to "stay away" from the public eye. Some disabled people I know simply refuse to use the facility thinking that they should leave it for other "more deserving cases" who need them. These people need to be educated that using the van is their right.

• Education for van drivers: Be sure to select the right drivers; and not anyone for the job. They must be gentle and kind and with heaps of patience. They must also be sensitive to the needs of the disabled.
  Turning up on time at the disabled person's homes and venues is a must. Waiting and extra five minutes or so, is divine on the driver's part.
  Drivers need a basic course on what disabilities are. Put them in a wheelchair or on crutches and drive them around for a week in order to let them know what the experience feels like. Invite wheelchair users who are qualified to do the training.
  Be sure to recognise the work that these special van drivers do – and never forget to reward them from time to time.
  Having said that, there must be a confidential number for disabled people to call and complain – if they are mistreated. Complaints must be taken seriously.

• Safety a top priority: Wheelchairs must be strapped at all times with the provided four safety belts for each wheel. They must be fastened securely at all times, even though a trip may sometimes last a few minutes. In addition to wheelchair belts, a safety belt for the disabled person must also be fastened. (A friend of mine died in an accident when she was thrown out of her wheelchair because the driver had not put on the safety belt to secure her in her electric wheelchair.)
  Disabled vans should never speed on the road when there are disabled people in them. Great care on balance of the disabled person should be taken when taking a corner or riding over bumps. Prompt action should be taken against drivers that violate this. Appropriate grab bars should be placed in strategic points for passengers with disabilities to hold onto for safety. Old ones should be promptly replaced.

To find out more about MBSA's van service, please call: 03-5522 2735. – March 9, 2015.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

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