MORE than two years have passed since 23 members of Beautiful Gate Centre for the Disabled cried out for disabled-friendly facilities at Kommuter Stations.
Unfortunately, their wait has been in vain, and on Mar 11, the group decided to bring their plight to the attention of the authorities again.
The centre’s director Sia Siew Chin, accompanied by Kepong MCA public service bureau chairman Yee Poh Ping, handed over a memorandum to the Transport Minister regarding the lack of disabled-friendly facilities at the KTM stations.
Sia said a few years had passed but nothing had been done to make the Kommuter stations more accessible for disabled passengers. This has, to some extent, limited their travelling options.
The minister’s political secretary Wong Kung Foo received the memorandum and acknowledged that facilities for the disabled in the country were still lacking.
“We understand about this lack in facilities and will wait for KTMB to send us a report on the matter and take it from there,” he said.
He said while it is desirable that all Komuter stations be disabled friendly, there are huge costs involved; something the rail services provider might not be able to afford right now.
“We are looking at measures that would make it easier for the disabled to commute, and at the same time does not involve huge costs. Of course, the government will have to come into the picture as well,” he said.
Dr Ng talking to some of the residents from Beautiful Gate Homes for the Disabled.
AFTER more than a decade of serving the needs of the disabled in an exemplary manner, Beautiful Gate Homes for the Disabled has gone big.
The new Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled was launched by Deputy Finance Minis-ter Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen at the Summit Hotel in Subang Jaya this week.
The launch also marked the new tax-exempt status of the foundation.
Dr Ng hoped granting tax-exemption status would act as encouragement to the public to donate and help with the foundation's work.
Also present at the launch was PJ Utara MP Chew Mei Fun, foundation president Reverend Boh Che Suan and other foundation officials.
Dr Ng also said the ministry did not grant the tax exemption status to charity organisations easily.
“A foundation like Beautiful Gate had proven itself over the years as a genuine organisation providing vital service to the disabled community.
Executive director of the Beautiful Gate Homes for the Disabled Sia Siew Chin said the homes had expanded to such an extent that there were four homes now catering to the different needs of the disabled community.
“We are setting up a home in Seremban which will also be an arts centre for the residents. That will require RM100,000.
“There are also plans to build an extension to the Kampar centre that houses the young disabled residents.
“This alone would require a further RM300,000,” she added.
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