Disabled persons will be able to ride public transportation for free, once a mechanism for this is in place.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri said that Transport Minister Anthony Loke had agreed with the proposal.
This would apply to facilities like the LRT, MRT and stage buses, Nancy (above) added.
"He agrees on principle, and will think of the best mechanism to implement it," she said on Twitter.
However, it is unclear if this would also apply to KTM Komuter trains.
It is also unclear how the government intends to make public transportation more accessible.
Speaking to members of the press today, Nancy said the implementation date of this initiative will be determined by the Transport Ministry as it is its mechanism.
“I gave recommendations to offer free rides to disabled persons to ride the LRT, MRT and bus.
“And he (Loke) said he has to see the mechanism, maybe (it could be given) in the form of a card,” she said.
She was speaking after attending an event under the Social Welfare Department (JKM) in Putrajaya today.
Elaborating on the matter, she said she will follow up with the Transport Ministry on the mechanism as well as the duration for the initiative to be implemented.
Harapan manifesto
The Pakatan Harapan election manifesto promised, among others, to offer better access to public transportation for the disabled and to ensure accessibility through universal design standards for new developments.
BN, meanwhile, promised to issue RM10 million in travel vouchers for the disabled to use e-hailing services.
Last year, Senator Ras Adiba Radzi, who uses a wheelchair, urged public transportation facilities to improve accessibility for the disabled.
This includes providing lifts at all stations, tactile pathways for the blind, wider automatic platform gates for wheelchair access, special assistance counters for the disabled, emergency assistance buttons near lifts and disabled parking and drop-off points.
She also proposed special seat belts and hoists on trains for the safety of wheelchair users.
Other disabled public transport users also urged for better enforcement and monitoring to ensure facilities, like wider sidewalks around the stations, are not abused.
This includes traders setting up stalls there - obscuring the path for wheelchair users. - Mkini
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