Design blind-friendly facilities, planners urged

Star: PENANG: Town planners are told to design facilities that are friendly to the blind and visually impaired group.
State Health, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman P.K. Subbaiyah said although awareness on the needs of blind persons was higher, blind-friendly facilities were still lacking.
“We need to make the surroundings friendly to the blind, so that they can enjoy a better quality of life,’’ he said at the White Cane Day celebration at St Nicholas Home for the Blind in Bagan Jermal here.
He represented Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Abdul Rashid Abdullah. The White Cane Day was on Oct 15 but the celebration was postponed due to the fasting month.
Subbaiyah called on the public to show their caring attitude towards blind people.
“It is displeasing to note that some motorists refuse to stop their vehicles to give way for blind pedestrians to cross the road,” he said adding that some motorists parked their cars in the middle of walkways, posing obstacles to the blind.
“We must do everything we can to help the blind,’’ he said while lauding non-governmental organisations and corporate bodies, including Intel which were involved in helping the poor.
Some 100 staff from Intel accompanied the blind in a “fun walk” from St Nicholas Home to Pulau Tikus market and back.