'Thanks for providing facilities forn disabled'

'Thanks for providing facilities forn disabled'

Apart from the fanfare at the launch of the controversial busway
project on Thursday, people with disabilities expressed their
gratitude for the provision of wheelchair ramps and comfortable
shelters. Still, some of the disabled people The Jakarta Post
spoke with pointed out a few flaws here and there.

Edwin CP Malkan, is a paraplegic and a member of the
Indonesian Paraplegic Association who tried the busway on opening
day:

The buses are fine and comfortable; it's the ramps leading to
the shelters and the turnstiles at the shelters which are still
problematic for me, and for fellow paraplegics.

The ramps are too steep, while the turnstiles are too narrow
for wheelchairs to pass through.

But aside from that, I think the busway is a real improvement
in providing a more humane and paraplegic-concerned mode of
transportation in the city.

Siswadi, is the president of the Indonesian Disabled People's
Association (APCI):

On behalf of all Indonesian disabled people, particularly
those in Jakarta, I'd like to thank the city administration for
providing facilities for the disabled on the busway.

However, we also hope that this is not the only project in
which the administration pays attention to the needs of disabled
people. We hope that all buildings and infrastructure in the city
eventually provide special facilities for the disabled.

The busway itself should fully operate an audio and visual
display of which shelter it is stopping at, so the visually
impaired, the deaf, and the mute can know where they are and when
to exit the bus.

And what is more important, I think, is the attitude of
society towards the disabled people and the special facilities
for disabled people. Please prioritize disabled people first when
queueing, for example, and do not use the special facilities
provided for disabled people.

-- The Jakarta Post