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Liberating Peter Tan
from Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening
(2007/5/12 23:09)
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PDL - Malaysian Probationary Driving License Lesen Memandu Percubaan Malaysia Photo by Wuan . This Malaysian Probationary Driving License is valid for two years. Barring an driving offense that may result in this license being revoked and cancelled, I will be issued with the CDL (Malaysian Competent Driving License - Lesen Memandu Kompeten) after the probationary period. Wuan and I collected the license from Safety Driving Centre . I then attended a press interview with other members of BEAT. Wuan and I went off to 1-Utama for lunch, shopped a little after which I drove all the way back. Being on the wheel again after twenty three years evoked so many emotions. I never thought I could drive again. That was the reason I stopped renewing my driving license ten years ago. My desire to drive again was inspired by Kuan Aw and Christine. Now that I have obtained my driving license, William sowed the seeds of a long road trip to celebrate this milestone with Cynthia and Wuan. P ...
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So Near Yet So Far
from Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening
(2007/5/11 22:41)
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My PDL (Lesen Memandu Percubaan / Probationary Driving License) has been issued. I just cannot wait to collect it from the driving school and start driving. These ten months of acquiring a car, installing the hand control kit and taking the driving tests have been one interesting experience after another. This journey in liberation will be a stepping stone to other even more interesting journeys. The instructors at Safety Driving Centre are one passionate lot. Their professionalism in polishing me from the rusty driver that I was to achieving what I consider one of the greater achievements is one chapter of my life that I can never forget. Thank you Sirs! Special thanks also go to William and Cynthia for spending time car shopping with Wuan and I and took me to Putrajaya JPJ to submit the attachment application; Christine and friends for bringing in the hand control kit on a long windy trip from Singapore; and Wang for giving me pointers and assisted me in filling up the forms fo ...
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Disabled Persons’ Endless Problems With Public Transport
from Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening
(2007/5/9 13:17)
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Photo by Wuan . During RapidKL?s accessible buses pre-launch briefing for the media, Chief Operating Office Mohd. Ali. Mohd. Nor announced that 100 accessible buses will be put into service in the Klang Valley on June 1. These buses will only serve the trunk lines and city shuttles but not the local shuttles that serve housing estates. This defeats the purpose of putting these buses in service as wheelchair users will be unable to get to the trunk line hubs from their homes. Mohd. Ali should realise that the last mile connectivity is as important as the trunk lines and city shuttles. Another major area of concern is the mismatch of height between the bus stops and the buses. The difference can be as much as 9 inches, rendering the gradient of the ramp too steep even with assisted boarding for wheelchair users. This is prevalent in most of the bus stops that the Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) and officers from RapidKL discovered during a previ ...
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Hoping for Miracles Ala Machap and Ijok
from Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening
(2007/5/8 22:12)
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During the pre-launch of RapidKL?s accessible buses, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Parlimentary Secretary Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fen ?encouraged BEAT (Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group) and the disabled to work with architects, developers, engineers and contractors to better the disabled-friendly facilities of future projects.? ( The Star - May 4, 2007: RapidKL to operate 100 buses with accessible facilities ) BEAT has been working with RapidKL since September 2006. With the impending introduction of the accessible buses, BEAT has also been working with a couple of local authorities to ensure that the heights of the accessible buses and the bus stops match and that all connecting pathways are barrier-free. Members of BEAT will also be sitting in a committee chaired by the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport to iron out issues on public transportation in Malaysia. Many of the members of advocating under BEAT are employed fu ...
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Lembu No More
from Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening
(2007/5/7 22:49)
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The weeks of anxiety that built up to this morning was lost in the last days that Morrie shared with Mitch. It was one book that had managed to hold my attention in a long while. That was in between straining my ears listening to the announcements calling candidates to go for the road tests and desperately trying to finish each chapter before my turn came up. This was one book that made me tear and made me chuckle. I could relate to some of the stories. I have been through the death of both parents and a few loved ones. Each of their deaths made me appreciate life more. Although I will be busy for the rest of this week, I will sneak in time to discover the unfolding enlightenment that Morrie has to share with all of us. This is one book that is worth many times more than the price I paid for it. For a moment, passing the driving test did not seem that significant an event. Nevertheless, it is one that will liberate me in many ways.
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The Star - May 4, 2007: RapidKL to operate 100 buses with accessible facilities
from Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening
(2007/5/4 11:06)
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Central Friday May 4, 2007 RapidKL to operate 100 buses with accessible facilities By YIP YOKE TENG Disabled-friendly: Chew helping Lee to get on a RapidKL accessible bus at the Bangsar LRT Station. The call is finally answered. Disabled-friendly buses will now ply selected RapidKL bus routes and there are 100 buses to start with. RapidKL announced at the Bangsar LRT Station yesterday that 100 accessible buses had arrived with some already in use. The company hopes to have at least one of such buses in each of its 10 city routes and 63 trunk routes before launching the barrier-free system on June 1. The buses come with a manual ramp for passengers on wheelchairs while the drivers have been trained to help them get on the buses. Other facilities such as wheelchair lock, seat belt and head cushion have been thoughtfully included, too. Women, Family and Community Development Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, RapidKL chief operating officer ( ...
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BEAT Coordinator Christine Lee’s Speech During RapidKL’s Accessible Buses Pre-Launch Bri
from Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening
(2007/5/4 1:42)
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Yang Berhormat Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, Parlimentary Secretary, Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, Encik Mohd Ali Mohd Nor, Chief Operating Officer, RapidKL Representatives and friends of BEAT, Fellow disabled members,volunteers and supporters, A very good morning and salam sejahtera to all of you ! First of all, on behalf of Barrier-free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT), I wish to convey our appreciation to RapidKL for inviting BEAT to attend and share this joyous occasion. I wish to also thank BEAT for selecting me to speak on their behalf. For those who may still not be aware, BEAT is a coalition of 17 NGOs representing the interests of various disability groups and comprising thousands of members all over Klang Valley and Malaysia. This morning we are gathered here to mark a very significant occasion. For the first time in the history of disabled person?s movement in the country, we are witnessing a bus company making efforts to incor ...
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RapidKL’s Accessible Buses Pre-Launch Briefing
from Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening
(2007/5/4 1:21)
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RapidKL held a pre-launch briefing on the accessible buses for members of the media and disabled persons at the Bangsar LRT Station this afternoon. The Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) were represented by fifty members from the sixteen NGOs working together under its banner. RapidKL Chief Operating Officer Mohd. Ali Mohd. Nor, BEAT Coordinator Christine Lee and Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Parlimentary Secretary spoke on the news bus service from different perspectives. RapidKL COO Mohd. Ali Mohd. Nor speaking during RapidKL’s Accessible Buses Pre-Launch Briefing. In his speech, Mohd. Ali said that the one hundred accessible buses will be launched on June 1 serving the trunk and city shuttle routes. However, there will not be any service on the local shuttle serving housing estates. This last mile, he suggested, should be served by pick-up services like those provided by Mobility . RapidKL COO Mohd. Ali Mo ...
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Anwar Ibrahim - The Next Prime Minister of Malaysia?
from Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening
(2007/5/1 13:33)
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Politicians are embracing blogging like ducks to water. Former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim is no exception. In a blog attributed to him which appeared in the Google Adsense in my blog, he was boldly proclaimed as the next Prime Minister of Malaysia.
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Second Complaint Letter To MPAJ Regarding Inaccessible Pandan Perdana
from Peter Tan - The Digital Awakening
(2007/5/1 13:06)
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It is absolutely disappointing that Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya (MPAJ) never responded to my complaint regarding the inaccessible and dangerous walkways around Pandan Perdana . This was despite a letter from the Jabatan Kerajaan Tempatan (Department of Local Government) urging them to respond to my letter of complaint. To pursue the case further, I have sent a second letter of complaint to MPAJ and copied it to the Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Setiausaha Kerajaan Selangor (Cawangan Kerajaan Tempatan), Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan, Jabatan Kerajaan Tempatan, Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga n Masyarakat, Pengarah Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, ADUN for Teratai and Presiden Persatuan Orang-Orang Cacat Anggota Malaysia. A while ago, I personally handed this letter to ADUN for Teratai YB Yap Soo Soon who has agreed to look into this matter. Rujukan JKT: KPKT(02)(S)927/5 klt. 49(80) 18 April 2007 Yang Dipertua Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya Menara MPAJ Jalan Pandan U ...
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