LATEST NEWS
2003
Draft Persons with Disability Act, 2002
We are now in the process of formulating the draft act. You can download the English Version & Chinese Version below.

The Labour Department launched the Code of Practice for Employment for Disabled Persons at the Sandybay Paradise Hotel on 27 Feb 2003.

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Sep 2002
SERI has recently released a "Guidebook for Disabled People and Their Carers in Penang - Disability Issues". Please contact SERI if you need copies of this guidebook.

Downloads

Mandarin Version Draft Persons With Disabilites Act(74K)

English Version Draft Persons With Disabilites Act (66K)

International Day of the Disabled

1 Dec 1998 Short Walk from St. Nicholas Home for the Visually Handicapped to One-Stop Shopping Centre

This walk along a footpath that was made more disabled friendly for the visually handicapped was to thank the local authorities for their efforts to make Penang more friendly to people with disabilities. A Press Conference to thank the local authorities was held before the walk.

2 Dec 1998 Visit to KOMTAR (Government Administrative Centre in Penang)

A group of people with disabilities met with several reporters at KOMTAR and showed them how the environment there can further be made barrier-free for people with disabilities.

List of Past Events

a) International Day for the Deaf ((24 September 1999)
This event was celebrated at KOMTAR and launched by the Chief Minister himself. The deaf societies and schools participated activley in the event. The Chief Minister in his speech directed all Government departments and agencies to provide disabled friendly features for people with disabilities. Exhibition materials sponsored by ABILIS Foundation were also on display to show the activities of SILA.
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b) International White Cane Day (16 October 1999)
The blind people celebrated this event at KOMTAR too. The venue was especially chosen so as to make the general public aware of people with disabilities. Disabled people from the other disability groups also attended.
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c) Basikal Ria (24 October 1999)
Basikal Ria is an event organised by the Sustainable Transport Environment of Penang (STEP) to encourage cycling in Penang. SILA members from the Penang Deaf Organisation, Cheshire Home and Society of Disabled Persons participated in this event. The purpose of their participation is to show that people with disabilities are also involved in the environmental protection activities.

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d) People Friendly Penang Initiative 2000/01
Three roundtables, one each on issues relating to children, the disabled and the elderly have been held to discuss the experiences and problems faced in accessibility, and service needs. Local Government officials were also present at these roundtables. Their inputs were sought to help improve the facilities discussed.

1. Roundtable for Disabled Persons
a. Pre-Roundtable Meetings
Prior to the roundtable, 2 pre-roundtable meetings were held to discuss the content and the format of the roundtable as well as to identify a replicable demonstration site for disabled access. See Table 1.

b. The Roundtable
The Roundtable for Disabled Persons was held on 12 June 2000 (Mon) at the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) meeting room in KOMTAR.

A total of 33 participants attended this roundtable. The participants consisted of representatives of member organisations under SILA, various departments of the Penang Municipal Council, PEN-URUS Harta, the management of the KOMTAR building, Penang Development Corporation and the Social Welfare Department. The Yang Di Pertua (President) of the Penang Municipal Council was also present at the Roundtable. The representatives from the different disability groups presented their proposals for improved access in KOMTAR and its surroundings to the MPPP. These included the need for clear signage at bus stations, service counters and directions around KOMTAR; ramps and railings at appropriate places; safe road crossings from the KOMTAR Building to the adjoining bus station and disabled friendly counter services.

c. Follow up Meetings
There have been 4 follow-up meetings after the roundtable. These meetings discussed in detail the plan of action for implementing physical projects and included site visits with the disabled people to pinpoint specific locations that needed physical improvement for accessibility. Progress meetings will be conducted from time to time to monitor the actual implementation of the physical improvements. The meeting hopes to replicate this demonstration project to other parts of the Penang. Physical construction of ramps, railings, etc in KOMTAR are now in progress.


Table : DISABLED PERSONS ROUNDTABLE �CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS
Date Venue Event
17-May-00 St. Nicholas Home for the Blind Pre - Roundtable Meeting with SILA
31-May-00 St. Nicholas Home for the Blind Pre - Roundtable Meeting with SILA
12-Jun-00 Level 4, KOMTAR Roundtable For Disabled Persons
20-Jun-00 Level 4, KOMTAR Follow up Meeting & site visit Project implementation meeting with MPPP
18-Jul-00 St. Nicholas Home for the Blind Follow up Meeting SILA member organisation meeting
22-Aug-00 Level 4, KOMTAR Follow up Meeting & Project progress meeting with MPPP
5-Sep-00 SERI Follow up Meeting Project progress meeting with MPPP
13-Sep-00 Prangin Mall Site visit to the newly constructed Prangin Mall with disabled persons
13-Feb 2001 Prangin Mall & Sg. Pinang Join inspection of Prangin Mall and Low-cost Housing at Sg. Pinang with MPPP
 The immediate results for the different target groups are:
a) Disabled Persons
The Government�s main administrative building, KOMTAR, which houses, the Employer�s Provident Fund, Social Welfare Department, Penang Municipal Council, shopping complexes and community meeting halls is being made accessible to disabled persons. KOMTAR, itself a famous landmark in Penang, is also a meeting point for many disabled persons. It also houses a major bus station that provides bus services to all parts of Penang.

Ramps and railings are being constructed at various crucial points in KOMTAR. The management body has also provided disabled parking lots and signs. Toilets have also been renovated for disabled access. Presently, they are working on safe pedestrian crossings at 2 major roads in the vicinity of KOMTAR.

The Penang Municipal Council has also started strict enforcement of the Uniform Building By-Laws, which makes it mandatory for new buildings to include disabled access in their design.

Technical Training Workshop for the promotion of Non-Handicapping environments in Penang

Title of Workshop:
Technical Training Workshop for the promotion of non-handicapping environments in Penang.

Duration: 2 days [Saturday & Sunday 28 � 29 July 2001]

Cost per pax: RM 120/pax (For seminar material, food & refreshments - 2 days)

Organisers: MPPP & Socio-economic & Environmental Research Institute (SERI)

Objectives:
1. Introduction to the participants the term �Non-Handicapping Environment�.
2. To introduce and help the participants understand the need to design for the disabled and elderly persons, through exercises that �forces� them to know what is it like to be a disabled and elderly person, which will emphasis on experiencing barriers and difficulties similarly encountered.
3. To introduce the term �Universal Design�.

Method:
1. Sharing experiences [via personal expression of words and drawings]
2. Simulation exercise
3. Access Survey
4. Videos and personal anecdotes

Participants: Maximum 60 persons [6 groups of 5-7 persons]
Architects, engineers, technical personnel from Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang and PAM, IEM, HDA, Hoteliers and MPI representatives will also be invited. Enclosed below is the List of Participants:
1 MPPP
2 MPSP
3 PAM
4 IEM
5 REHDA
6 PDC
7 PIHA
8 CAP
9 USM
10 General Hospital
11 MIP
12 PenURUS KOMTAR





Workshop & simulation exercise venue:
City Bay View Hotel

Access surveys venues for 6 groups:

1. Ferry terminal - 1 group
2. KOMTAR [2 groups / routes]
3. Heritage trail [Khoo Kongsi, Masjid Kapitan & Armenian street including
    Salma Nasution�s house] - 1 group
4. Gurney Drive, Gurney Plaza & Fort Cornwallis - 1 group
5. MacCallum Street Ghaut [flat & community area]

Itinerary:
1st Day
8:30 am Registration
9:00 Opening ceremony
9:45 Tea
10:00 First Session: Sharing Experiences
10:40 Feedback and review sharing experiences.
11:30 Right terminology of disabled persons by UN Standards
11:45 Second Session�: Simulation Exercise
1:00 pm Lunch
2:00 Continue with the simulation exercise
3:00 Group discussion and prepare for feedback.
3:30 Groups to present
5:00 Finish second session
8:00 Third session: Accessibility for the disabled persons
Discussion on the �building by-laws�
by Ir Fong Tian Yong, Director, Building Control, LGD, MHLG
8:45 Video
8:50 Introduction to Universal Design
9:15 Design exercise
10:00 Finish

2nd Day
8:45 am Third session continue: Pin-up sketches and drawings for presentation
9:00 Groups to explain in 5 minutes about what they know by designing for the disabled using their sketches.
9:45 Fourth session: Access surveys
1:00 Lunch
2:00 Feedback on access surveys
3:00 Last session: Fill out forms
3:30 Closing
4:30 Finish training course. Certificates, souvenirs etc.


Last modified on Friday, February 28, 2003