The answer was in the “affirmative”.

The earlier article however mentioned a disabled person learning in an automatic car only. It should be kept in mind tutoring a disabled driver should be done only by a qualified driving instructor who possesses the certificate to instruct or the S.M.2 certificate.

Permission to teach should also be obtained from the J.P.J. authorities.

Prior to commencing practical lessons in the student’s automatic vehicle, all documents, approval letters etc should be in proper order. J.P.J. vehicles on their round will certainly stop you should your come across them

The disabled student vehicle to be used for driving tuition could be either:

1) Be registered under the student’s name.

2) Be a borrowed vehicle. In such cases, a letter of consent should be obtained.

Insurance coverage particulars have already been explained earlier. Get insurance cover for:

i) The instructor.

ii) The student learning.

iii) The tester who will be conducting the test on test day.

There is a second type of vehicle that can be used for teaching disabled or the O.K.U. (Orang Kurang Upaya).

I admit having forgotten to mention this in my earlier article. This category of vehicle pertains to vehicles to which modifications have been made to the vehicles.

Some disabled people cannot make full use of their legs. They cannot control the brakes and accelerator units. Such cases requires modifications be made to the vehicles.

Although automatic cars have only brakes and accelerator, these have to be modified and placed near the steering stalk to allow operation by hands.

Such modified vehicles should be forwarded for certification of Registration under the student’s name and endorsed by the Department’s Registrar of Vehicles (R.O.V).

Of course again, the normal insurance requirements will have to follow.

Having describe the 2 types of vehicles that are normally used to teach and tests disabled students i.e. the automatic vehicles and the modified automatic vehicles, it is hoped those readers who may be in the disabled category may no longer deem it necessary to raise any further questions in this blog.

O.K.U. in Bahasa Malaysia means “Orang Kurang Upaya”, the disabled person of our society. Even though they possesses license to drive, their biggest headache is actually finding parking lots.

There are reserved parking spaces near banks, government offices, supermarkets and other busy areas. Those blue coloured areas with the emblem of a man sitting in a wheel chair are actually parking areas specially reserved for them.

But observe carefully. Most of the time however, very unfortunately, their parking lots are taken over by able bodied drivers.

This action without doubt, causes much miseries and problems to the O.K.U.

There is one state government, to be exact Selangor, which has taken the first step to accord the O.K.U. special parking procedures. In fact, “free parking” to our O.K.U. brethren. To this magnanimous decision and brave action, “Syabas” and thank you for it.

The decision has indeed been long time awaited, but as people say, better late than never.

Hopefully, other states and local councils, throughout Malaysia will soon follow suit.

Of special interest to many will be who are those who qualify for these special stickers?

Obviously, the answer would be, those with various forms of disabilities and nerve disorder. Those who have children with learning disabilities and other illnesses are also involved. Surprisingly, the blind and the deaf cannot qualify.

And to whom or what authorities can one approach to secure these stickers? You can approach the local council for the sticker. The sticker is valid for one year. It expires the end of 2010.

How many types of stickers are there?

Official sources say there are 2. One for display on the vehicle. The other, a mobile one to enable them to use if they wish, other vehicles.

To prevent forgery, the stickers have special anti forgery measures. You have to register in order to get this special stickers.

What is necessary for this exercise are:

i) Individual MyKad

ii) O.K.U. card issued by the welfare department.

iii) Driving license.

iv) 2 passport sized photographs.

What happens should one lose one’s stickers?

You will be fined RM30. Privileges of the member to be suspended for 3 months.

According to reliable sources, parking facilities and other privileges are meant for the disabled or O.K.U. members, not to the families and friends.

The public will most probably misuse these special stickers. The local authority will then resort to issuing parking summons.

It is reported that to date, one local authority – the Majlis Perbandaran Kajang, has issued 10 special stickers. If you are an O.K.U., contact your local authorities as soon as possible.

Related web pages:

1) Orang Kurang Upaya – MyHealth Portal

2) Yayasan Orang Kurang Upaya Kelantan (YOKUK)

Disable Friendly Staircase

Is there a possibility that O.K.U. (Orang Kurang Upaya) who intend to purchase a new vehicle be given a special discount?

To be fair, I have given priority to articles specially written for the O.K.U. or “disabled”. This short article is intended for them.

A frequent user of the L.R.T. (Light Rail Transport) system, you’ll surely observe, seats which are specially reserved for the O.K.U.

Most passengers of the L.R.T. do help or assist “blind” people using the transport system. Likewise in transport systems as buses and other transport facilities such as lifts and public escalators. The public do lend a hand in helping the unfortunate.

Do you know that in our hospitals, O.K.U.s are actually accorded special treatment?

Observe the sign boards hanging all over. One says with absolute clarity. “Special treatment is to be given to the O.K.U., the disabled or the orang cacat”.

If you’re over 70 or an infant below 1 year old, preference is also accorded to you.

So much for our “masyarakat penyayang” or caring society. Especially for our O.K.U. or disabled brethren.

In case you’re unaware, there are special lifts to cater for the O.K.U. Large hotels and buildings nowadays do have these amenities for the disabled.

More and more buildings and establishments are beginning to have toilet facilities and bathrooms specially meant for the less unfortunate. This definitely augers well for the O.K.U.

With regards to parking areas, those blue coloured areas with a wheel chair emblem on it are in actual fact meant specially for the disabled people.

So dear readers, kindly do not ever encroach into such areas.

By doing so, you’ll be causing extreme difficulty or suffering to some less fortunate folks.

So have a heart the next time around. Please let me implore you on the O.K.U.’s behalf, do not take their place reserved for them.

By now, you must be wondering, what I am trying to imply with all these examples and O.K.U. stories. Actually, I have am important message to convey to you!

Some O.K.U. have written in to ask of me. Can disabled people request for a special discount when they wish to buy a new car?

I am not in the Barisan or P.K.R. government, actually have no idea over such things.

As said much earlier in this blog, “all things asked must have an answer”. Confucius, the famous philosopher said that, I think.

Although not in the government, I have enough experience to comment on such question asked.

From experience, friends of mine who possess driving school establishment, used to inform me, driving schools then were normally able to get a special discount of RM1000 –RM2000 whenever they decide to buy a new car.

So, there you have it O.K.U. folks, take heart. Don’t feel too disheartened.

The only problem seems to be, I don’t know which department you have to ask.

Maybe there are some good Samaritan readers who may know the answer. So what about chipping in to provide the answer. Give a comment or two.

The little I know of the tax procedures, I shall share with you. If incorrect, please kindly excuse me for it.

You see, the government is suppose to impose a levy on all new cars. Imported and locally assembled vehicle both face this tax.

In case of the O.K.U. people, this tax can be waived. Thus making it cheaper for the disabled people to purchase a new car.

To all those O.K.U., who feel they ought to be given special treatment, especially with regards to purchasing cars, you can definitely put in your request to the relevant authorities!

But remember, please refrain from quoting me. I may be very well be inaccurate. I am just voicing out my opinion only. Anyway, good luck!

Step By Step Procedures For An O.K.U. On How To Go About Taking A Driving Course

Are you an O.K.U. (Orang Kurang Upaya) person? I am not a medical doctor. Just an ordinary lay man.

Are you a normal and ordinary person? Are you unable to walk, to use your arms and legs? Do you need crutches to move about?

In some cases, unfortunately, there are some who cannot use their legs but their arms are perfectly alright. There exists O.K.U. who are former polio victims.

The above is a general description of an O.K.U. If the description of an O.K.U. is wrong, I sincerely apologise for my error. My intention to write this article, is just to disseminate, the vast experience on driving instruction to assist the O.K.U. get a license, to drive a car.

If you think you are an O.K.U. or a disabled person and if you wish to achieve a driving license, just like any normal person, what then should you do?

What are the steps you have to go through?

In this short article, an attempt will be made to explain the procedures or steps you will have to take towards making your dream a reality.

The following are 3 steps required for a disabled person to take a driving license

Step 1

Go to the nearest J.P.J. office, say in Kampung Jawa, Klang or even in Petaling Jaya. Fill up the required form.

After completing the necessary form, next you will have to go to a government hospital, to the orthopedic department. You will then be checked thoroughly.

You will be given a medical report confirming your status as an O.K.U. person.

This qualifies you to learn driving in an automatic car. Remember, only an O.K.U. is allowed to learn and test in an automatic car.

If for instance, you are not a disabled person, but you suffer from some medical problem. Should you suffer from a spinal problem making it difficult to sit in a small Kancil car. And because of this you have to use a larger car.

Get an orthopedic surgeon to certify your condition.

With the above document, you can then go to the J.P.J. authorities to seek permission to use your own family car to learn in and also test with the above car.

Of course, you have to remember regarding the necessary “insurance coverage” that’s required.

Step 2

The second step is essentially the driving instructor’s duty. Find a good and qualified instructor either from a driving school or institute.
He will have to apply for permission to tutor you. Only when the necessary permission has been given by the Road Transport Department, can you begin your driving lessons.

Remember though, you’ll need a special automatic vehicle to learn in. Hunt around for an institute which may or may not have such a vehicle.

If you are unable to locate such a vehicle, what then should you do?

You will then have to :

i) Purchase your own auto car.

ii) Borrow an auto car. A letter of consent is required for this purpose.

Of course, all necessary insurance coverage is needed again.

When the above requirements have been met, the driving instructor meanwhile upon receiving the necessary J.P.J.’s documents will then contact you for your driving lessons to begin.

The above will all take some time to process. Be patient!

OK! Having done Step 1 and 2, what next is the following action of the O.K.U.?

Step 3

If suppose you have not got your L.D.L. (Learner’s Driver’s License) yet, then proceed quickly to:

i) Attend the 5 hour K.P.P. (Kursus Pendidikan Pemandu) course.

ii) Sit for the Highway Code (Undang-undang).

iii) Attend the 6 Hour Theory course and eventually your “L” license will be issued to you.

Explaining all the various steps that you ought to do as an O.K.U. has not being easy. But for the sake of special people like you, it’s all being worthwhile.

I sincerely pray you’ll eventually be successful in your attempt to get your driving license!

Don’t forget though. Wave to me if you do meet me on the road!

Related web page:

1) Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI)

The inability to hear all these puts the driver in immense danger.

But surprisingly, unlike the necessity of good eyesight to drive, a person deficient in hearing is not subjected to any medical examination. Just try failing your “buta warna” or “colour blind” test. And see what happens.

So what does one do if a person realize his weakness?

Knowing or realizing you’re hard of “hearing”, you should then take steps or precautions to minimize this deficiency of yours.

First of all, try to fix a “hearing aid” to help you hear better. It might be expensive. But it’s worth it. After all, safety is important. As the saying goes, “we can earn money, but we cannot earn our lives”.

Secondly, take special precautions while driving. Knowing you are not good in hearing, drive slowly and do not speed. Anticipate dangers. In short, please take special precautionary steps.

At times, while we drive, we do face problems pertaining to tyre problems. Certain sounds might be emancipating from the wheels. Or at times certain sound might be emitted from the engine compartment. Early detention might save the driver from extensive damage.

To help the situation further, what else can a driver, hard of hearing do? Among those suggested are:

1) Do not put radio on too loudly.

2) Lower music from tapes and CDs.

3) Try avoid the use of handphones.

4) Do not wind up windows fully so as to allow sounds from outside to enter the vehicle.

The above are but some of the ways a person who is hard of hearing could be helped to hear better whilst driving.

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But for a group known as the “disabled drivers” or O.K.U., permission is provided for the use of “automatic” cars.

As explained in this blog elsewhere, namely 2 types of automatic cars are used. They are:

1) Ordinary automatic cars

2) Automatic cars which are modified slightly

The second type needs to be sent to the authorities for inspection and permission to be used on the road as vehicles to provide “tuition”.

It could also be used for test purposes too. However, permission and special arrangements have to be made with both J.P.J. and the institutes.

As of 1st of January 1970, only “driving instructor” qualified (only those holding S.M.2 certificates) are permitted to teach or instruct.

As such, O.K.U. or the disabled drivers are advised to seek their assistance should they intent to take up a driving course.

It should be reminded however, both learners and instructors too, that vehicles to be used should have special markings on them. This is to inform other drivers to be careful and ideally give way to these special drivers.

What type of licenses are the disabled drivers given when they pass their tests?

As far as I know, those learning for the C.D.L. (cars) receive the normal “D” category license. Maybe their license will have some special “comments” and identification on them. To be frank with you, I myself have yet to see an “O.K.U.” license.

As for O.K.U. who takes up the motorcycle (B2) license, then C.D.L. (Competent Driver’s License) is an “A” license.

Some people inquire of us “are there any differences between the O.K.U. drivers and the normal drivers?”

As I personally, in my many years of service as a driving instructor, have taught only 1 or 2 O.K.U. students, to make a decision on it would be rather unfair.

Basically, there should be no difference at all. If you are careful, then obviously you’ll be a good, competent driver.

The O.K.U., being a special group of persons in our society, are given special arrangements for their parking convenience.

If you are observant enough, you’ll see special parking area in especially busy areas like banks, clinics and so forth, designated with “blue colours and a symbol of a wheel car” on them. These if I may inform you are meant only for the O.K.U. people.

Have a heart. Do not encroach onto these areas specially meant for the special group of people or drivers.

As it is, the O.K.U’s are already less fortunate compared to us. Do not make it even worse for them.

As many drivers do “rob” the O.K.U. of limited parking spaces in towns, it is earnestly hoped Majlis Perbandaran officials and the Police will pay special attention to elevate this problem.

With this article, it is hoped, from henceforth, good and “caring” drivers such as yourself will no longer see it fit to park your vehicle in that special “blue” coloured area. I believe you can be good if you want to!

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Solving The Problems Of O.K.U. (Orang Kurang Upaya)

The permit S.M.I (Sekolah Memandu I) allows the teaching of:

a) Normal students.

b) Students known as O.K.U. (Orang Kurang Upaya).

To my knowledge, there exists no driving school in Malaysia that caters for the needs of the O.K.U. No driving school or institute possesses an automatic car to fulfill this purpose.

Why you may ask is this so? Quite simple actually.

i) O.K.U. as a group, isn’t large.

ii) “Auto” cars are more expensive.

iii) The 3 wheel motorcycle has to be specially ordered.

What happens should an O.K.U. plan to take up driving?

Firstly, he / she should get an “automatic” car. Secondly, ensure the insurance covers the student, the instructor and also the “tester” on the day of the test.

Cars which are borrowed should possess the “Letter Of Consent”. Particulars regarding insurance have to be adhered to.

At this juncture, the “modified version” of auto car should also be included too.

The O.K.U. has to submit the “Kad Perakuan Pendaftaran” in the student’s name to be endorsed by the Registrar of Vehicles. Insurance requirements remain the same.

What happens on Test Day?

“Auto” cars are permitted to be brought into the Institute’s premises. If parking slots are not suitable, they would be modified for the auto’s requirements.

However, auto cars on test must bear familiar words as “Awas! Pemandu Cacat!” on both the front and the back of the car.

Hopefully, this article will get rid of problems so far facing the O.K.U. To end this article, a last reminder with regards to “driving instructors”.

Automatic or no automatic, instructors have to be the one to teach the disable driver. Although there are many who feel unhappy about this, we have no other choice but to accept it. This little Law!

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Related web sites:

1) Smoothening The Unexpected Kinks

2) Upgraded To Malaysian Competent Driving License

As of 1st January 1970, Malaysian could no longer seek the help of their parents or friends to assist them in their learning how to drive. If normal people who wish to take a course on driving, could seek the help of either a driving school or Institute.

What about those who are not too fortunate or “disabled persons”?

Can these group of people purchase their own vehicles and then seek the assistance of an instructor to do like wise?

The answer to the above question is “Yes”. Such vehicles could also be taken into the Driving Institutes to be used by the owner as test vehicles.

However, permission should first be obtained from the relevant authorities to use the said vehicle. In this article, attempts would be made to explain how this could be done.

Assuming a disabled person just wants to use an ordinary automatic vehicle to learn and also to use such a car for test purposes. How then, does one go about it? Conditions briefly are:

i) Medical report required.

ii) Letter requesting J.P.J.’s approval to use the said vehicle for tuition and test.

iii) Proper insurance to cover person learning, instructor and tester during test.

iv) If the car is borrowed, proper insurance for the above (item iii) is also required. Letter of lenders’ consent is necessary.

Besides the above documents and paper work, also be reminded that the vehicle used for tuition purposes should have signs (both front and rear) to inform other drivers that “Disabled Persons” are driving the vehicle.

Talking about disabled people and their problems, it is only proper, mention be made with regards to “pregnant ladies” who profess to take their test.

The process is rather simple. All that is required is to get a consent letter from the student’s husband disclaiming any responsibility by the authorities concerned.

If in any way, readers are still uncertain how to address the problem they might face, do not hesitate to request your nearest institute or instructor for assistance.

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