Look Who's Deaf?

I came across this piece of news and just feel like its a good piece to comment on. Kudos to Anthony for highlighting the issue which, had it been at any other time but the election, it would not be looked into by the authorities. The grouse by certain quarters within the deaf people in KL is that RapidKL has a new policy which practice discrimination even among the deaf!

Prior to the new policy, the deaf - irrespective of their club affiliation - were able to purchase for discounted fares travel cards. The only qualification they needed were the the identification card issued by the Welfare Department (JKM). But with the introduction of the new policy, RapidKL now does not recognise JKM's certification on the matter; they now acknowledge certification only from the 5 bodies they have in their list.

Reading it at a glance, one might not think anything amiss. In fact, even I do not think there's anything wrong, except...some political drama; I don't really know but please do read on.




RapidKL, is a government-linked corporation under Ministry of Finance, presumably Khazanah Berhad. What it means is that though it is supposed to operate independently, it is still answerable to the Federal Government. And as the MoF owns Khazanah Bhd, and they in turn own RapidKL, the latter has to toe the line. And toeing the line should also mean recognising the various procedures within the top bracket of the Federal Government. In other words, they have to acknowledge the procedures of other Ministries, which in this case should include those of the JKM of what ever the ministry name is now. But apparently, RapidKL is not!

While I do not claim to know it all, I have been involved in certain documentations at the Federal Level and do know that when new procedures are to be introduced, a glc or gl-entity would have to check with the guidelines of other organisations where certain issues may overlap. And this is especially true in the case affecting consumers and as should be, OKUs. I may be wrong, but even a simple logic may prove the statement above as true. But sadly in this case, it is not.

In terms of heirachy alone, a glc sits below a department, and the department under a ministry. Rightly then, a glc cannot countermand a procedure or certification made by another body which is a level above it. In this case, RapidKL is reversing the certification made by JKM! What gives?

Well, from the viewpoint of someone simple like me, this has something to do with a small election strategy. Come the right time, the Minister of Welfare or what ever, will issue a statement to RapidKL to get things in proper perspective and they will follow suit. Voila! The media will extol the good minister and hence, the party she hails from. The public or in this case the OKU, wll get their discount which was supposed to have been there in the first place, and everybody's happy and vote the party back into power. A month of being back in power, then those involved will find new issues to play with the publics mind.

No doubt to some this is a small issue. But this is simply what has been going around in many other grouses and issues. In other words, the party in power is simply irresponsible to play with issues affecting the publics welfare, and certainly not a government of the people, by the people, for the people!

Perhaps it is justified here to look back into history back at the time when Saidina Umar r.a. was the Khalifah. In one of the books narrating his life story, the Khalifah would ride his horse at night to the areas around Madinah just to see how the people are fairing. On one of his rides, he came across a mother with several of her children crying in hunger. He approached the mother and saw her boiling somethings over an open fire. When asked what she was cooking, the mother replied "Stones,I have no food left! By boiling the stones I hope the children will be quieten in thinking I am cooking food for them, and fall asleep while waiting."

Upon hearing that, Saidina Umar r.a. immediately rode back and took some provisions from the treasury. He then rode back to the mother and gave the provision to her. Later, Khalifah Umar r.a., a famed and much feared warrior, and the most powerful man on the seat of the government, himself cooked a meal for the family.

Yet here in Malaysia and in this present time, we have mere ADUNs or MPs who would look the other way when a citizen is in need. Don't think there's any need to cite any as cases are abound.

My apologies. I have stated it before, and I state it again: I make a poor writer, let alone a critic. I was, merely letting off steam. Back to the whole issue, alhamdulillah, I am not blind nor deaf to the antics of the people in power.