Letter: Accessibility is a Legal Obligation, not a Welfare Matter

Date Published: 5 March 2026

WE thank Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh for raising issues related to the registration of and accessibility for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in her remarks on Jan 31, 2026, as reported by a local news portal.

Her comments have sparked an important public conversation, one that highlights deep-rooted misconceptions that have slowed Malaysia’s accessibility progress for decades. These misconceptions continue to shape decisions, policies and urban planning that PWDs live with every single day.

As disability rights advocates and organisations working closely with the PWD community, we wish to offer clarification and context so that the public narrative on accessibility remains aligned with Malaysia’s legal framework, human-rights commitments and the lived realities of PWDs.

1.⁠ ⁠Accessibility is not a welfare matter.

There is a common assumption that issues about PWDs fall under social welfare. This is inaccurate. Accessibility is infrastructure covering both physical and communication.

Physical accessibility covers walkways, kerb ramps, tactile blocks, slopes, pedestrian crossings and access to stations with accessible link to bus stops that ensure a continuous, safe and usable pathways for all.

Communication accessibility is essential to ensure equal access to information for blind and low-vision persons, and for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons. It includes tactile wayfinding, Braille labelling, clear high-contrast signage, visual display systems, audio announcements and other communication aids required for independent navigation.

These elements are not welfare services. They are essential components of an inclusive built environment and fall under the responsibility of Kuala Lumpur City Hall, local authorities and built-environment agencies.

The Social Welfare Department’s (JKM) role is to provide social welfare and support services. JKM has no enforcement power over infrastructure or city planning. It is crucial that accessibility is not viewed or treated as a welfare matter as this misconception can weaken accountability, perpetuate inaction and delay meaningful progress.

2.⁠ ⁠Accessibility cannot depend on PWD statistics.

We understand the importance of data. However, linking infrastructure to the number of registered PWDs creates a misconception that facilities are built only when the numbers justify them. A city does not build safe walkways only when “enough” disabled people appear in a registry. Accessibility is a right, not a quota.

3.⁠ ⁠Accessibility is not specialised; it is universal.

Accessibility is often misunderstood as “specialised facilities only for PWDs” when it is actually about universal access for everyone. Universal design focuses on creating infrastructure, products and services that prioritise safety, usability and dignity for all people. When applied, it benefits everyone, including persons with disabilities, the elderly, parents with strollers, pregnant women, tourists, people with temporary injuries and all pedestrians.

Universal access is not a niche requirement; it is the foundation of a safe, inclusive and liveable city for every resident and visitor.

4.⁠ ⁠PWDs do not move within one single postcode.

Accessibility discussions should not focus only on one particular location as it does not reflect the lived reality of the PWD community. We travel across the city every day, just like everyone else. A city cannot be accessible in one neighbourhood and hazardous in another. It must be consistent across the whole built environment.

5.⁠ ⁠Accessibility is a legal and governance obligation.

Malaysia already has strong legal and policy frameworks mandating accessibility. They include:

i. Malaysian Standard on Universal Design and Accessibility (MS1184);

ii. Uniform Building By-Laws 34A (UBBL34A);

iii. Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 – Section 26 (Access to Public Facilities, Amenities, Services and Buildings); and

iv. UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) – Article 9 (Accessibility).

These obligations apply across all areas regardless of registration figures.

Accessibility must be planned, constructed and enforced in full compliance with the provisions of the law. However, the real barriers are structural: persistent non-compliance with standards, weak enforcement, fragmented responsibilities and the absence of a coordinating authority and oversight committee. The challenge lies not in data but in strengthening governance and enforcement.

6.⁠ ⁠Accessibility is a basic human right.

It is a fundamental right that shapes every other right including education, employment, healthcare and social participation. When access is denied, safety is compromised and exclusion becomes inevitable, leading to long-term marginalisation.

Accessibility is also formally recognised as a cross-cutting human-rights principle underpinning the protection and fulfilment of all other rights.

For the PWD community, accessibility is about navigating safely, living independently and communicating equally. It reflects our identity, our rightful place in society and the affirmation that we are equal in dignity and humanity.

For the authorities, ensuring equal access is both a moral duty and a legal obligation. It is not negotiable, not optional and not something that depends on registration to justify our worthiness.

A structural solution is urgently needed.

We believe Yeoh’s leadership and influence can help reset long-standing misconceptions and steer Kuala Lumpur towards becoming an exemplary accessible city where equal access is seen not as a matter of numbers but as a matter of rights.

We therefore reiterate our call for the establishment of a Walkability, Accessibility & Connectivity Committee under KL City Hall as previously proposed. Without a formal body empowered to coordinate, enforce and monitor standards, accessibility will remain fragmented, inconsistent and years behind global norms.

CHRISTINE LEE
Wheelchair User, Advocate and Co-Founder,
Barrier-free Environment and Accessible Transport (BEAT)

MURUGESWARAN VEERASAMY
President,
Damai Disabled Person Association Malaysia

PUA GHIN CHU
Executive Director,
Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled

and MUHAMMAD NADHIR ABDUL NASIR
Chair of Communication, Advocacy & Human Rights Committee,
Society of the Blind in Malaysia (SBM)

This letter was endorsed by the following CSOs:

1.⁠ ⁠Damai Disabled Person Association Malaysia

2.⁠ ⁠Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled

3.⁠ ⁠Malaysian Council for Rehabilitation (MCR)

4.⁠ ⁠Selangor Cheshire Home

5.⁠ ⁠Dual Blessing Berhad

6.⁠ ⁠Pertubuhan Advokasi dan Kesejahteraan Pekak Malaysia (DAWN)

7.⁠ ⁠Asia Pacific Network on Accessible Tourism (APNAT)

8.⁠ ⁠Persatuan Kebajikan Masyarakat Permata Warga Istimewa Malaysia