00:00While Kuala Lumpur boasts extensive tactile paving for the visually impaired,
00:08challenges persist.
00:10Armed with a GoPro, 34-year-old Hafian Lali documented the numerous obstructions
00:16he faced during his daily walking routine to get to work in Brickfields.
00:20He was accompanied by his colleague, 48-year-old Abian Jambud,
00:24and they say they really need a clear path to reduce the risk of getting injured.
00:30I face difficulties, obstacles, you know, obstruction almost every single day.
00:35Even though we have the facilities,
00:36the thing is people don't seem to be aware that it's a facility for the PWDs,
00:42persons with disabilities, especially for the visually impaired on the tactile pavement.
00:46And yeah, people tend to get hurt.
00:47Sometimes I even bruise myself when I run into a motorcycle,
00:53the handlebar, you know, some part of the motorcycle.
00:57One time I did almost topple over a baby stroller
01:01when the parent put a baby stroller right on the tactile pavement with the baby inside.
01:27This has been suggested before so that we can empty the footpaths and so on,
01:33but it is not easy.
01:35Maybe due to lack of awareness or lack of awareness of the public.
01:41They face obstacles like tables, chairs,
01:43and customers queuing for snacks from roadside vendors on public walkways.
01:48In some areas, tactile blocks are obstructed by vehicles,
01:52with at least 30% of them being damaged for the complicating their journey.
01:58What can be better is the facilities.
02:03I'm referring to the tactile pavement, the elevator, the escalator.
02:06All those parts should be clear of any obstruction.
02:09No one abuse those facilities.
02:12So number one amendment of the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 to empower it,
02:17to make it not only simply as a document.
02:20We want it to be a really empowered legal document that can really back us up in any action
02:26whenever we voice up against anyone who violates any of the provisions within the Act.
02:31Malaysian Association for the Blind Chief Executive Officer, Datuk George Thomas,
02:35agreed that city councils, developers, architects, and building owners
02:40must incorporate the MS1184 Code of Practice to ensure accessibility for everyone,
02:46not just persons with disabilities.
02:49Why this should be done is because you want everybody to be independent.
02:54You don't want the blind to be dependent on somebody
02:57to make him move from one place to another place.
03:00I would think DBCal need to really have a special unit or desk department
03:08which should look into accessibility access for PWDs.
03:15So that is very important.
03:16The manpower for them to see at the ground to implement is not there.
03:22So if you ask me 1 to 10 the scale, I may give only 5.
03:29Thomas said it was commendable for DBCal to turn Brickvilles into a township
03:33friendly to the disabled community back in 2002.
03:37But with rapid development in the area,
03:39the implementation of the MS1184 Code of Practice has been poor
03:44and existing infrastructure and facilities have been strained.
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