OKU rights - Shahrizat highlights the importance of MNKT

Rights of the disableds are always not looked into by the authority and they staged a protest two days ago against Rapid KL, a government-controlled public transportation service provider in Klang Valley for not taking good care of the needs of public transportations for the disabled or Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU) in town.

Ministry of Women, Family and Society Development Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil today during her winding speech in the Committee Stage debate of her ministry in the Dewan Rakyat criticised local governments in Malaysia for not being senstive to the needs of the disabled when a lot of facilities provided by local councils are not OKU-friendly.

Shahrizat even warned them (local councils) that the Ministry will go after them, if they are still ignorant or neglecting the rights of the disableds although there are already by-laws which are supposed to be followed to create a disabled-friendly environment.

She said she will bring this matter up to the National Council for Local Government chaired by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and she will push the National Council to push local governments to fully implement what has been legislated in their by-laws to take good care of the needs of the disableds.

She also said that if local councils are still ignorant on orders and decision from the highest authourity from the Federal Government, the Ministry will not let local councils to run away scot-free and promised to give them some teachings.

"Saya nak bagi amaran kepada semua PBT, kalau by-law tidak diikuti, rasakan nanti." She said without any compromise.

Her remark reminds me of what Ong Ka Ting said a few days ago when he said :

"Soal pokok di sini kata kelemahan PBT. Kelemahan PBT memang betul, di bawah perlembagaan, dia adalah di bawah the nine schedule state list. Kuasa PBT memang adalah di bawah jadual kuasa negeri dan di bawah Akta Kerajaan Tempatan amat jelas sekali kerajaan negeri yang menjaga PBT. Itu pun saya tidak menolak, cuba hendak elakkan tanggungjawab.
Yang Berhormat sudah bangkitkan Perkara 95, saya juga terima dalam Perkara 95 ada satu fungsi Majlis Negara bagi kerajaan tempatan. Telah pun disebut siapa pengerusi, ialah Timbalan Perdana Menteri. Saya salah seorang Menteri yang menganggotainya, tetapi pada masa yang sama, terdapat 13 Ketua Menteri dan Menteri Besar yang juga sama dengan keahlian saya.

Di situ, secara kolektif, kita bincang, ada apa-apa kelemahan kita buat bersama untuk melakukannya. Macam mana pula hari ini saya seorang sahaja kena dipotong gaji. Tidak pernah kita berhenti cuba guna majlis ini untuk melakukan apa yang betul, yang terbaik. Jadi, saya tidak pernah kata saya apa pun tidak payah buat, kerana itu bukan kuasa saya."

You can read his remark from the Parliament Hansard on 29th November 2006. His remarks give us an impression that he does not have the power to do (it) as the council makes collective decision, though he is a Minister responsible for the portfolio.

However, Shahrizat's remark differs a lot from Ong Ka Ting's statement made when he debated the RM10 salary cut motion tabled against him by DAP MP for Cheras, YB Tan Kok Wai.

Can we expect a further explanation from Ong Ka Ting?