Laws for the disabled lack bite

Indiscriminate: Motorists abusing parking lots for the disabled in front of a bank. The proposal for tougher laws will be discussed soon.

PETALING JAYA: The Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 needs more bite.

Although the Act has equal access provisions for the disabled, it lacks punitive action for non-compliance.

This caused slow progress in the implementation of policies and measures to improve services and fa­­cilities although 10 years had pass­ed since its enactment, said National Education Advisory Coun­cil member Prof Dr Ruzita Mohd Amin.

Prof Ruzita, who also heads the International Islamic University Malaysia disability services unit, said stronger anti-discrimination laws like Britain and Australia’s Dis­ability Discrimination Act, or Hong Kong’s Disability Discrimination Ordinance, and a Disability Inclu­sion Commission, were needed.

“The Federal Constitution should also be amended to include prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability.

“And, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, and the Development of Persons with Dis­abi­lities Department must be placed under the Prime Minister’s Depart­ment, or a commission, for more effective implementation of action plans,” she said.

She added that Malaysia should sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities optional protocol, which allows the disabled to file a complaint to the International Super­visory Committee in case of non-compliance.

These suggestions, Prof Ruzita said, were presented to Deputy Prime Minister and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail last month.

“Hopefully, the new government will look favourably on these legal and structural reforms for the betterment of the disabled community,” she said.

Having an impairment did not necessarily make a person disabled but it was the non-accommodative environment that did, she said.

“Given the same opportunity and an enabling environment, experiences in developed countries have shown that even the most severely disabled person can become a productive member of society,” said Prof Ruzita.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh said the proposal would be discussed soon.