Awareness On Facilities For The Handicapped To Be Emphasised

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 (Bernama) -- The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) wants awareness on the need to provide facilities for the convenience of the handicapped to be made an important subject in the country's education system, particularly at the tertiary level.
Suhakam commissioner Prof Dr Chiam Heng Keng said such awareness must be absorbed in the architecture and civil engineering streams for degree courses so that the future generation would be more sensitive to environment that was handicapped-friendly.
"Future architects, engineers and other professionals will become more sensitive to the needs of the handicapped in designing buildings and public amenities in the country," she told reporters after the Round Table Discussion On Less Handicapped-Friendly Environment, here Tuesday.
Three working papers were tabled at the session which was followed by a discussion attended by more than 40 participants representing several ministries including the Housing and Local Government Ministry, Transport Ministry, Health Ministry, Education Ministry, Women, Family and Community Development Ministry as well as the Economic Planning Unit.
Representatives from several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for the handicapped and disabled individuals also attended the one-day session which discussed cooperation between the government, NGOs and the community to overcome environment which were not handicapped-friendly.
Dr Chiam said that as a developing nation, Malaysia should have professionals such as architects, civil engineers, regulators and developers who were sensitive to the needs and rights of the handicapped in the future.
She also wanted those who obstructed or abused the facilities provided by the government for the handicapped to be prosecuted.
The Deputy Director-General II, Department of Local Government, Ministry of Housing and Local Government, Fong Tian Yong in his working paper said 98 per cent of buildings in Malaysia now provided facilities for the handicapped.
He said the construction of any building now had to comply with the Handicapped Facilities Planning Standard Guideline which was also among the conditions for approval for any building plan.