OKU passenger disallowed by minibus driver

Published on: Sunday, November 05, 2017

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By Rupert Augustin
MY niece who is 38 is an OKU. She has been one since the tender age of 6 as a result of a severe attack of meningitis.

Thankfully, she is provided with a monthly OKU card and allowance by the Government.

It may not be much, but it means the world to her. The OKU card she carries around with her has been accepted by various bodies and organisations that sympathise with her limited mental capabilities as a result of the effect the meningitis had on her brain.

It is, therefore, sickening and simply unacceptable that a mini bus SAA 6277 M that has been given a permit by the JPJ to ply the Penampang route has seen it fit to disallow her entry into the bus while making a trip to QEH 1 on the morning of Nov 1 at 8.15 am.

By whose and what authority has this bus driver and his conductor have a right to refuse this service transport to one who is in need of it? Is the OKU card meaningless to such unsympathetic people who have zero compassion to the less fortunate? Is Rm 2 so important to the bottom line of such public transport operators?

Her joy is her independence knowing that even though she is an OKU, she still can find her way around without troubling others. Even when she had an epileptic attack and fell into a drain at Towering last year, some kind soul, stopped to assist her and take her to the hospital.

That was a show of compassion which unfortunately has not been shown by the operator of this mini bus.

The JPJ, if they are reading my letter are obliged to act on this. Do not ask her to go to your office to lodge a complaint because if the Daily Express with the best readership in Sabah and Labuan cannot spur you to act against such unacceptable behavior, nothing will.

It is better that you trace this culprit than spending time checking on the tint of a vehicle.

Rupert Augustin