SHAH ALAM - The government should take a more holistic approach in their plans to give free public transport fares for Person with Disabilities (PwD), prioritising accessibility and inclusivity.
President of Damai Disabled Person Association president Murugeswaran said the free fare is good news and is very welcomed epecially for the physically disabled though a more holistic approach should be taken.
He said that a big number would not benefit from this if public transport services are still not accessible for this community.
"Currently, there are more than 600,000 individuals registered as PwD under the Social Welfare Department, the highest number being people with physical disabilities at over 200,000 people and not all will benefit from this if there is no accessible public transport," he told Sinar Daily
"Some ways for the government to tackle this issue is to provide accessible taxis for the disabled and the state governments should play their role in providing free public transport for example, free stage buses," he said
He also urged the public to not misuse facilities provided for the disabled and always ask them first if they need help before extending it.
Meanwhile, Acting Executive Director of Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled Ivy Pua Ghin Chu, said that this effort will be appreciated as not many people in the disabled community can afford to buy their own vehicle.
"Not many can afford to own a vehicle so they need to use public transport to go work, school, the welfare department and to go for leisure activities," she said.
Ivy added that the government should also seriously look into accessibility issues and to look into creating long term solutions.
"There are needs for ramps on buses, trains, and buildings universal design that is disability friendly to cater to this group.
"Other facilities such as elevators and disabled friendly toilets at each station is a must especially for long rides like Electric Train Service (ETS)," she added.
She explained that it is important that these public places provide barrier free environments for the disabled community and there was still a long way to go in terms of universal design.
In order to allow more people with disabilities to go out of their homes to participate and contribute to the society, she urged the public and the government to pay attention, strengthen execution and instill awareness of disabilities in children from an early age so that everyone is aware of the existence of this community and values them as contributing members of society.
"People with disabilities are also citizens and members of society. We can also contribute. As long as we have the opportunity to be treated fairly, we can also integrate into society like able-bodied people," she said.
Earlier today, Transport Minister, Anthony Loke said that his ministry will soon discuss with the management of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) regarding the implementation of free transport services for PwD and students.
Loke said that the matter was already in the ministry's plans which aims at helping and empowering these groups.
This came after Women, Family and Community Minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri disclosed that Persons with Disabilities (PwD) may enjoy free public transportation services on Wednesday.
She said that the matter was discussed with Loke before the Cabinet meeting yesterday.
In her tweet, she mentioned that Loke has given the green light for her proposal and will think of the ideal way to implement it.