Malaysia, PETALING JAYA: Now that she is wheelchair-bound, Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun understands the difficulties faced by disabled persons.
“I am now temporarily disabled. I came in mobility-transport assistance for the disabled.
“Although I’ve been working closely with persons with disabilities, I have not fully understood how they felt.
“Now I can understand their difficulties,” Chew said when attending a Christmas celebration organised by her service centre at a shopping centre in Damansara Jaya yesterday.
She came in a wheelchair following her recuperation after her car accident on Dec 9.
The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry parliamentary secretary, said it has been painful for her whenever she sits, stands or sleeps a bit too long.
“Although I am not discharged yet, I want to be with persons with disabilities because this is a yearly programme organised by my service centre,” said Chew, adding that
she was going for a minor eye surgery.
Saying she was disappointed to have missed the passing of the Persons with Disabilities Bill 2007 in Dewan Rakyat on Dec 18 due to her accident, Chew said the Bill would give equal rights to the disabled.
This means that they have the right to protection and development and access to opportunities and advancement on an equal basis as able-bodied persons, she said.
They include opportunities in education, employment, transportation and communications technology.
“Facilities, amenities, services and buildings are to be provided freely and in the friendliest manner.
“(They should be provided) not out of charity but out of the rightful expectation of every person,” she said.
By LOH FOON FONG (http://thestar.com.my/)
Sunday December 23, 2007