Social Responsibility
I did a short stinge of teaching at a local College for Foreign Students in a Business Administration Class not too long ago. From their Text Books, there seems to be a full chapter on Social Responsibility of Corporations and Private Companies. During my time, this was never mentioned in our studies or text books! I am glad that this is being taught in Business Schools.
What I discovered from real life experiences here in Malaysia and especially as a care-giver who used to bring a handicapped person out to do shopping at our local Malls, that there is very little awareness to handicapped people by the Management of such Malls. Firstly I would like to highlight one case where after a written request to them to provide handicapped parking lots at their premises, they really did that within a month! To them I wish to say a big thank-you and it reminded me of certain aspects of Social Responsibility being practiced.
Then there are some Malls where initially I could park at the handicapped lots, but now unable to! Reason given is that these are reserved for handicapped drivers only! Now, I fully agree to provide for handicapped drivers but at least leave one or two for people like us. Even with a care-giver to handle the wheel-chair it is still quite a challenge to go from car park into the main shopping area in addition to the difficulties finding a nearby parking lot. I just wish that they do give people like us some considerations. Guess I have to write to the Management to appeal.
Other observations that reflect this lack of awareness towards handicapped people are at Qeues at check-out lanes after shopping or at service counters. Even when the Qeue is long, we have to wait for our turns whereas in other Countries, we were given preferential treatment! Our worst experienced was at our KLIA! Can you imagine me having to handle a baggage trolley and a wheel-chair? Just could not handle that and I had to approached some officers on duty to help and even then they agreed reluctantly! Then at the qeue to pay for the parking ticket, we were made to wait in the long line of people because on that particular day, the auto-pay machines were out of commission! Of course we can wait in line but just noting the difference here and in other Countries where at most times the handicapped person is served first.
One surprising thing is that at our University Hospital Car-park, there is not a single handicapped parking lot! Can you believe this? Check it out yourself! We seldom go shopping over the week-end at the Malls just to avoid the crowd! In most modern Malls today in Kuala Lumpur they do have handicapped parking lots but the difficulty we faced is another set of issues! This particular Mall do not have travelators to go higher floors but instead provides escalators which wheel-chair cannot go, but they have lifts for that! What is the problem then? We discovered that quite a lot of people pushed their shopping trolleys from the Supermart into these lifts to go further shopping at other floors, using these trolleys as carriers! Their children sitting in the trolley together with their goodies! Already it is difficult for us to enter a lift which is not too spacious with the rushing crowd besides having these trolleys inside! At times we had to wait for four changes of lifts before we could get into one and that was at the mercy of some kind souls who allowed us in! Many of the people just rushed in immediately the door opens leaving us behind and yet they gave us a look that sort of saying what are you doing standing there! At times we do come across kind people who gave us preference but this seems to be rather rare.
One last point I wish to make is that, Management of Malls should consider the total friendliness of their premises to handicapped people rather than focusing on bits here and there. After all the whole place belongs to them unlike shops where everyone owner just take care of their own space. For this reason we prefer to shop at Malls for they are more handicapped friendly than our local shops! However Mall Management did not do enough or over looked bits of spaces here and there where the terrain is difficult for the handicapped on a wheel-chair. It is a case of continuity in the design layout.
What we suggest is that you able bodied folks just keep your eyes open and observe whenever you go to the Malls to shop. Perhaps you may understand the difficulties or in today's politically correct word, challenges that a care-giver and a wheel-chair bound person faces. Do you think this is too much to ask for or are we too pampered?
Oh! You really have opened my eyes about this social responsibility… and yes, people is not helpful and sensitive anymore. Anyway, you are a great husband, God bless you! It’s not easy to be a care-giver… and you will always in my prayers..
do you mind if you are included in my prayer lists blog?
Yes what u hv written is true enough & there’s actually just too many shortcoming in our country! BTW, u r invited to collect the awards at my place. Hv a nice day!
Dora:)
Thanks trinity for your prayers! We need all the help and especially from our Father in Heaven!
I am the mother of an autistic child, and I just wanted to add to your discussion. When I was a teenager I would sometimes escort children from a local facility for people with intellectual disabilities to the shopping mall.
The centre’s car had a handicapped vignette on it, and when the staff drove a bunch of us out to shop we would take advantage of the handicapped parking spaces. At the time I wondered why we were doing that, as all the young people who were with us were able to walk quite well.
When I was grown and had to get my son from the car to the store in the middle of winter, I found my answer! He would kick and scream, throw off his mittens, and all sorts. And if we turned our backs for just a second to gather up the other children he would run off.
Line-ups at the cash are the same thing. As are long waits at the doctor’s office, or anywhere else we go. This is a common difficulty for people with autism.
You do well to remind “normal” people that those who have a disability need some extra help in order to do the everyday things the rest of us take for granted. And I’m not at all surprised (though angered) when I hear that your hospital has no handicapped parking. It’s not just in the business world that we find people haven’t taken the time to think.
Most people will do, once they are asked. I hope things improve more and more as you raise awareness around you!
Cheers!
Ruby in Montreal
Quebec, Canada
Wow ruby thanks for sharing your experience. I can understand your challenges in handling an autistic child for personally I lived with a couple who has one. See ya around!
Love your post. I’m excited that more and more people are opening their eyes to these kinds of issues. They are all over. For example, I’m in Bangladesh right now visiting the Tetulia Tea Garden. This is a very special garden because not only is it 100% organic, but they are employing many kinds of programs to help the local people and the workers become educated, healthy, and fed. They have may co-op’s that allows people to learn about organic farming and then they give them a cow and buy back the milk and manure – to be used as fertilizer. I love learning more and more about these kinds of things, so please do inform me if you learn more!
Thanks brianne! Please share with us about this wonderful Tetulia Tea Garden? Cheers!
everybody should have some form of social responsiblity …to make the world a better place to live in…
I just discovered your blog while doing a post on self responsibility. This looks like an interesting blog. It’s encouraging to find Christian bloggers in Malaysia. I run an apologetics centre in Australia and write a blog that might be of interest http://www.andjustincase.blogspot.com
You are right jasmine, everyone must bear some social responsibilities to make our society a really caring one! Thanks!
thank-you brother Trevor and am glad that you like the post! Will drop by your blog soon! Cheers!