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April 30, 2005
Handicapped in Malaysia
I like Mack's initiative to assist Peter (and finally managed to link up - will I be the last one?).
To recall: Peter is paralysed. He is living on the 20th floor in a condominium in Penang, an island in Malaysia. Penang is one of those areas that were hit by the Tsunami last year and is currently frequently shaken by the reoccurring earthquakes.
He blogged during the last bad earthquake of end-March. Why? Because there is no evacuation route for handicapped people in his apartment area.
He has mentioned this a lot of times in writing to the management - to no avail. The label him a troublemaker!
People might ask, why he decided to live that high anyway, if he is disabled. There is more to this. Let me mention three points here.
First: Situations change. The one who is healthy today might be sick and in need tomorrow.
Secondly: Is it that just because someone is disabled or otherwise handicapped, we can put them away? Ask them to stay at lower floors? Don't they have a right to live where ever they chose to live?
Thirdly: Malaysia is a beautiful country, with very warm people. However, a lot has been done for the abled people. There is however, way too little comfort for disabled people. Be it in shopping malls, on the roadside (just take a look at the few available pavements!), or elsewhere. It is a country made for the healthy. Problem is: The Malaysian population is also aging. And sooner or later, there will be a need to accommodate the elderly and those that are not mobile anymore.
Help Peter. He is a great guy. His blog is called The Digital Awakening. I interpret it in a way that the Internet allows him to reach out. The same for me. But I can easily connect with others anywhere because I can walk.
Just like the Internet allows him to meet other people there should be a way for him to get out of his apartment when the building is shaking widely!
Posted by Andreas at April 30, 2005 11:02 AM
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Comments
Thank you for your support. You could not have said it better. Most times, we do not think too much about the plight of others until we are faced with a similar situation. It is time to wake up from this apathy and do something. It is the caring that makes us more human.
Posted by: Peter at April 30, 2005 01:31 PM