Page 6 - Mainstreamer e-Magazine Volume 5, April 2024
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OUT AND ABOUT: INCLUSIVENESS
Navigating Public Spaces: An Unregistered Elderly PWD’s Perspective
Siti Fauziah
Mohd Yusoff
Introduction leisure and recreation, may feel like battlegrounds.
s an unregistered elderly person with a It is common to find unsecured swings blocking
disability (PWD), I experience public spaces pathways or people spreading their picnic mats
Adifferently than most people. While these across entire areas designated for accessible use,
environments are intended to offer freedom and making us feel unwelcome and excluded. Public
opportunity for all, they often pose significant transportation, which should serve as an equaliser,
challenges for individuals like me. In this article, often becomes a source of stress. Challenges
I will offer my perspectives and underscore the include inaccessible stations, malfunctioning lifts,
importance of collective efforts to foster truly overcrowded platforms, and the absence of ramps
inclusive public spaces in Malaysia. for boarding buses directly from the pavement,
perpetuating a constant fear of being stranded.
Daily Struggles and Lack of Awareness
Consider a bustling sidewalk, the vibrant artery of
a city or its suburbs. Often, a line of haphazardly “
parked motorcycles blocks the path designated Furthermore, with input from the
for accessible use. Navigating my wheelchair over public and unregistered PWDs,
this uneven terrain puts me as risk of damaging the Malaysian government must
the wheels or tipping over. Similarly, a person with
visual impairments may struggle to navigate due allocate a sufficient budget for
to poorly positioned furniture or pushcarts that initiatives promoting accessibility.
obstruct tactile paving. These scenarios, which This includes enforcing existing
may seem like minor inconveniences, represent
the daily realities of many unregistered PWDs regulations, conducting regular
in Malaysia, illustrating a general lack of public audits of public spaces, and
consideration. imposing stricter penalties for non-
Every day, I confront these challenges with my compliance.”
husband, who is also a senior citizen. Although
recent improvements to walkways and curbs These issues result from a lack of awareness
seem promising, they have not fully addressed rather than intentional neglect. In the rush of daily
the underlying issues. For instance, newly raised life, people seldom consider how their actions
concrete paths intended to deter motorcycle may affect others. A motorcycle parked briefly
parking have inadvertently become new barriers can be a significant barrier, and a thoughtlessly
for wheelchair users. This illustrates a critical placed picnic mat can block vital access. These
oversight: solutions devised without fully small actions accumulate into significant obstacles
considering the diverse needs of all users often for unregistered PWDs like myself. It is clear that
lead to unintended consequences. fostering awareness and empathy among the
The difficulties extend beyond mere navigation. public is critical to establishing a more inclusive
Public parks and spaces, which are meant for society.
5 April 2024 | Vol. 5
