By Shalina Roseni
KOTA KINABALU: Disabled parking spaces should not be misused by abled-bodied persons regardless of their social status, said Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun yesterday.
Azizah was commenting on a message that went viral on Valentine’s Day on WhatsApp, an instant messaging application.
The message was allegedly written by a disabled person who was not allowed to use a disabled parking space at a futsal centre in Kolombong at 8.50pm on Thursday.
According to the message, the premises’ security guard had prevented the complainant from parking in the space and was told that it was reserved for a ‘Datuk’. The complainant, whose physical disability was disregarded by the guard, was then forced to park in a space far from the futsal court even though he had a Road Transport Department (JPJ) Orang Kelainan Upaya (OKU) sticker on his car.
“I am extremely saddened that a disabled person was treated this way, what of t he civic awareness in our society? Where has the moral values gone? Is the disabled parking space only for decoration? Or is the space only for show but not used for its real purpose?” the person said in the message while adding that the responsible party should be informed and take action on this issue.
Azizah also reminded the caretakers of a premises’ disabled parking space to be more aware and ensure that the facility is being used by the right people.
She said there is a possibility that some people guilty of such acts might not understand the purpose of the space or are plainly not concerned about it.
Furthermore, she asked operators of premises with this facility to educate their staff and ensure that it is being used as intended.