The existence of the “ wheel-chair lift “ at the main entrance at one of the shopping malls in Penang was perplexed and fuzzed to most of activists of accessible transportation. Understandably, the installation of the existing “wheel-chair lift “was meant to replace the previous accessible side walk to the entrance of the main shopping mall.
However, the so-called replacement can be interpreted as lack of understanding and knowledge of what we mean by accessibility and usability. In design buildings and constructions, the concepts of accessibility and usability should always be termed with safe, direct and obstacle free path of travel. The present wheel-chair lift clearly has not met the general standard of accessibility as it does not provide direct accessible and free passage into the building. The user of the wheel-chair lift has to make prior arrangement before she or he can use it. Additionally, the use the wheel-chair lift is limited to one person at a time and there would not be enough time if there are more wheel-chaired people in the emergency. It is quite puzzling the management of the shopping mall changed the sloping walk to this wheel-chair lift.The installation at the main entrance also indicates the misconception and misperception on the disabled people and the actual users of accessible sloping or gradient path. The disabled people not necessarily to sit in wheel-chairs and the users may cover wide range of people as they can be senior people and even ladies with prams or the pregnant.
