Page 23 - Mainstreamer e-Magazine Volume 1, Issue 3 - August 2023

BARRIER FREE SOCIETY
on the light/colour emitted. The place to insert
the notes and coin and the dispenser are also
equipped with LED lights. The yellow button
indicates payment by cash, while the blue button
indicates cost by cashless. This will ease the
process from ordering to payment. This vending
machine also has Braille plates (Picture 3, left) to
facilitate the selection of the drinks and reading
their prices. The machine also received payment in
cashless and cash. The no-braille vending machine
does not have this feature (Picture 3, right) and
only has the button to select the drinks.
From the author’s observation, these vending
machines are placed where people always pass
by, inside or outside the train station and near the
information kiosk (a rest hut for LRT bus drivers),
for instance, in LRT Universiti Station. The author
assumes this is for safety reasons, to make this
category of people feel more at ease, and if they
need anything, passers-by can react to help on
the spot. Compared to the no-Braille vending
machine, the Braille one is located at the corners
of buildings, isolated from the public. Perhaps this
might be convenient for PWDs but not for people
with visually impaired disabilities due to safety
reasons, particularly women.
To get more insight into their experience using
a Braille vending machine, the author interviewed
three visually impaired individuals (one male and
two females). The interview was conducted on 1
August 2023 via phone call; it takes 10–15 minutes,
asking if respondents have experience using a
Braille vending machine before and whether it is
user-friendly or vice versa. After that, respondents
were asked if they had any suggestions to improve
the current Braille vending machine. Overall, all
Button comparison of the soft drink
vending machine with Braille (left)
and the no-Braille vending machine
(right). (Photo by Rashid Ating)
the respondents agree that this vending machine
with Braille helps them greatly; particularly, Braille
plates help them identify the drink they need and
the price. All the respondents coincidentally shared
that they used the Braille vending machine at KL
Sentral. Two out of three respondents suggested
further enhancing this Braille vending machine.
For instance, Informant 1 mentioned he faced
some difficulties when the type of drink he wants
is out of order and the voice was not telling him.
Informant 2 noted that the volume of the voice be
reduced or that a volume controller be installed to
give this group of people privacy while purchasing.
She also suggested the option of pairing some
earphones with an on/off switch for voice-over in
this Braille vending machine. At the same time,
Informant 3 mentioned that Braille plates are
working well and have no issues.
In conclusion, Braille vending machines are still
relatively new in Malaysia. We hope that the use
of this Braille vending machine will be expanded
not only in the capital of Malaysia but also in every
state and district, unlike any other Braille vending
machine. We are also optimistic that more facilities
will develop to help these categories of people and
make Malaysia a country that is friendly towards
visually impaired people.
The author is a researcher at the Institute of Advanced
Studies (IAS) and Faculty of Business and Economics,
University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. His research interests
and areas include ageing and retirement, financial literacy,
Malaysian education (with focus on Sabah), tourism and
data visualisation. During his free time, he likes to solo
travelling, baking cookies, jogging and maneuvering a
drone.
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