The Penang Consumer Protection Association has asked the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) to see if restrictions on parking in disabled (OKU) lots can be eased in cases where the able-bodied are aiding a disabled person or performing chores for the people under their care, theSundaily reports.
The association says it has asked the MBPP to allow drivers to photostat a copy of an OKU card belonging to their disabled friend or relative and fix them inside their vehicles if they are out performing related caregiving tasks. This comes after an incident where a woman with a wheelchair-bound mother had her car clamped for parking in an OKU parking lot.
Its president Datuk K. Koris Atan said that local authorities should provide caregivers with an exemption. He said that the OKU sticker is usually printed for one vehicle and restricted to the OKU recipient, so such a move will help third parties aiding the disabled.
“Nowadays, many disabled people rely on their caregivers to help them perform important chores in town such as banking and dealing with government departments. So if they could just photostat a copy of their OKU sticker and leave it with their caregiver’s vehicle, it should be sufficient to park in disabled lots,” Koris said.
The system can work if the OKU only allows their caregivers to photocopy their cards and not abuse the process, he said. He added that the same approach can be expanded in the future to those ferrying around ailing senior citizens.
Following the meeting, the MBPP has agreed to look into studying the proposal. The council has been stringent in its enforcement of OKU parking lots – last year, it began taking action against those parking indiscriminately at any of the 53 OKU parking lots available on the island. Vehicles parked in such a lot and not displaying a sticker will face a RM100 fine.
According to MBPP councillor Chris Lee Chun Kit, the main objective of the council was to ensure that OKU facilities are available to those who are genuinely disabled and not end up being abused by a small minority. “Every procedure in the implementation is one which we wish we can avoid but have to follow in order to help people with disabilities,” he explained.
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Common sense prevails in Penang prihatin.
Prihatin or stupid suggestion…non oku will take advantage of it…just ignore the idea
OKU with caregiver can use ordinary parking since they have someone to assist them. Let the genuine OKU use the parking instead.
Totally agree
Go in and out at a normal parking is not that convenience for OKU due to the car door can’t be open wide enough. Just imagine how to carry out a wheel-chair user if it’s a normal narrow parking.
Very good idea the car giver should be given a OKU sticker. However it is open to abuse. Usage should be on condition that it only applies if the OKU party is in the vehicle at the time the OKU parking lot is in use.
I bet everybody will get those OKU sticker. U know bolehland mentality. When already park nobody will know u don’t bring any OKU.
Kalau macam ini baik tak payah ada OKU parking lots. An able-bodied driver should not be allowed to park in an OKU parking lot, period. Think of the solo OKU drivers who need it more!
Yes, that is the original intention of having the OKU parking lots.
Please allow the driver to drop off the OKU 1st. Parking lot are usually not available during peak hours in Banks & Majlis Perbandaran.
I am kind people who will and always help any OKU on sight. I deserve the sticker as well.
There is a gud reason why the OKU parking lots are in strategic place. They are suppose to let the OKU people in & out conveniently.
Sad to say, many able bodied people abuse & park/blocked these place especially in front of banks. I hope these people can be more civic minded after reading this article. Thanks for sharing.
Those who abuse OKU parking lots are OKUs as well.. mental retardation that is.
Such a stupid idea. Leave the oku parking lots to those who don’t have the assistance of caregivers. That’s the whole point of the oku parking lots.
Well, increase the number of designated OKU parking bays.
OKU certified vehicles should have their own unique vehicle plate (if charities* can have their own, why cant OKU have them) to distinct themselves, stickers and labels are easily misused and abused.
Or else we’re gonna see an increase of “able-bodied caregivers” using OKU spots with fake photocopied stickers.
The law is very clear on OKU parking. I don’t see the handicap suffering as they are being pushed around on a wheel chair. I have done this many times. The OKU parking is not for the selfish helper otherwise it defeat the purpose.
My opinion, usually caregivers or what not use the same car. Possible even that they can afford one car also. I assume that the caregiver failed to apply for an OKU card, that why they cant get the sticker. It is a good idea for the local council to allow genuine disabled/wheelchair bound citizens to get that sticker. About the borrowed car/friend. That’s rubbish, just drop them off then find a proper parking if u dont hv/forget the sticker. OKU parking is to ease entry/exit. The workers at the bank/gov is more than happy to wheel them in the building while you find parking.
suddenly thousands of ppl turned into caregivers
nowadays…apa pun can OKU…cannot study also consider OKU…but can get driving license…???