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LETTER | No joyrides please, we need jobs!
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LETTER | Rapid KL's decision to give two days of free rides on Dec 5 and 6 for the disabled in the country, pardon our view, makes absolutely no sense.

First of all, this is not the time for OKUs to be venturing outside - especially on public transport - with Covid-19 being active in our society.

The Health Ministry has frequently warned disabled people that we are considered high risk for the coronavirus and should be staying at home where we can be protected.

So, to put it bluntly, are you planning on getting us killed? Second, how does a mere two days of free transport help us in any way?

The truth is that instead of joyrides, what we really need are real jobs so that we can plan on getting married and even raise families of our own.

So if you guys really want to help - and appreciate our struggle - why don't you give us all a free pass to travel all year round?

This can be renewable every year through our disabled IDs.

A kind and carefully thought out move from you (and the Social Welfare Department) will help us to secure jobs out there where getting to and from our workplaces remains a daunting problem.

Please seriously think about this, Rapid KL.

I am sure you guys wouldn't want and have no intention of making money out of our genuine hardship, do you?

And I am sure that the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and the welfare department would be more than happy to advise and coordinate such an effort with you.

After all, they have been trying hard to get at least one percent of the workforce to be made up of people with disabilities.


The writer is president of Petpositive which provides animal-assisted therapy for the disabled and elderly.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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