THEY ARE AMONG US!

by Alya Aqilah

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It is true, they are among us! They live, eat and breathe as we do yet; they are different from us. But, who are they?

If you think ‘they’ refers to some green, scaly creature with huge eyes and a high pitched voice from another planet with claims of “we have come in peace”, then you are mistaken. ‘They’ are not aliens but quite often treated as such in more occasions than one. ‘They’ are actually people with disability or more commonly known as the disabled and they are everywhere in the University of Malaya (UM). However, very little is known about them here because despite being everywhere, they are still small in numbers and are a rather close knit community.

Nevertheless, the disabled are an interesting community not because of their disability but because they can live and thrive in a society where the majority is non-disabled specifically in UM. UM chooses only the best students thus academically speaking, disabled students are also required to fulfill the requirements of their preferred course like any other students. Unless they prefer to live outside of campus, students with disabilities will be provided with accommodation in residential colleges throughout their studies in UM.

According to Mr. Muhammad Firdaus Bin Abu Hassan from the Counselling and Disability Management unit from the Student Affairs Division, these students will be contacted before freshman’s orientation week, to discuss the matter of their disability. Unknown to many, UM has 12 residential colleges. Among them is the 7th residential college Za’ba which is dedicated to the disabled. This means Za’ba is accessible to most disabled students because it has tactile path ways, ramps for wheelchairs and an elevator with braille-printed floor buttons.

However, Za’ba’s rooms are limited and can only house so many. That is why students with minor disabilities like loss of limbs will be placed in other residential colleges as well, provided that the student agrees and can survive in that environment. Despite Za’ba being a college dedicated to housing students with disabilities, types of disability are also taken into account. Students with major physical disabilities like wheelchair bound or blind either fully or partially will be prioritised to stay in Za’ba. This is because the college is built to cater for their needs.

A look into Za’ba Residential College, students with major physical disabilities will be placed in rooms with built-in toilets for their own private use. First floors of each building are also prioritised for them. However, since their intakes in Za’ba have been increasing, male disabled students have to share rooms with other students of a disability too and some have even got rooms on the fourth floor. The first floor is now prioritised for freshmen and those with major physical disabilities.

Za’ba Residential College is dedicated to housing students with disability but it cannot be said that the college caters all of the seven categories of disability which includes vision impairment, deaf or hard of hearing, mental health conditions, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, autism spectrum disorder and physical disability. However, UM has made Za’ba a college that is accessible to most disabled student.

“As of 2019, like the shuttle busses provided for other students, UM has also provided shuttle vans for disabled students that runs every hour from 7.30 am to 10.30 pm” says Mr. Firdaus.

These vans have been modified with retractable ramps for students on wheelchairs and special scooters. What sets apart this transportation service from the shuttle busses’ is the privilege of being able to call the drivers to come and pick them up after their classes.

“I usually take the shuttle van during rainy days and if my scooter runs out of battery” says Seri Irdina Syahirah Binti Nordin, 21, a resident in Za’ba who became physically disabled when she was three.

UM strives to be a university accessible to all students including the disabled but due to the hard data received during a 2013 audit access, RM12 billion is an unbelievably high cost to upgrade all the infrastructures in UM to suit the needs of the disabled. The result of that was that UM decides to work with what they have and slowly but surely starts on upgrades.

“I am happy to say that works on making the 6th and 11th residential college accessible is going underway starting next year” says Mr. Firdaus again.

The same situation also applies to faculties, academies and centres in UM where accessibility to disabled students are just low. Disabled students will just have to learn to adapt. However, with that being said, here is where the Management Unit for Disabled Students (UPSOKU) plays a key role in assisting these students when they have any problems. For example, suggesting and providing solutions for lecturers regarding disabled students. One particular case was when a student with autism spectrum disorder that had difficulty presenting in class. Officers in UPSOKU then suggested that the student be assessed through a video presentation and they did and the student succeeded.

Studies and exams can be different for disabled students compared to ordinary students. Ming Soon, 21 also a resident in Za’ba who is fully blind due to under-developed nerve during birth says he is able to record lectures and during exams, he takes it in a separate room that is equipped with necessary tools to help him like having braille on exam papers. This is UM’s way of helping the disabled students.

That is the look into the lives of the disabled students in UM from where they live, to how they get around and to how they study. Disabled students are not aliens. Yes, they are different but they carry out their daily routines in UM like any other ordinary student does. They too face each problem with patience and real solutions. It is time that we mingle with the disabled community in UM because as our slogan says “UM is One”.