porcelaindoll

Disabled dad thrown out of candy shop with vulgarities
Nov 3, 2006

IT PAINS me to write this but my family experienced an appalling incident recently in Singapore's newest shopping mall.

On Oct 29, we visited the sweet shop in Basement 2. During this visit, we pushed my father-in-law in his wheelchair around the shop. This visit was without incident. The family decided we would return after dinner as grandpa wanted to buy some candy for his granddaughter.

When we returned, we were rudely stopped at the entrance with a wave of a hand and an irritated expression as though we, in our apparent carelessness, had missed the notice on the entrance prohibiting wheelchairs. We had not seen this notice initially, presumably because we had not expected to be discriminated against in this mall.

When we asked why wheelchairs were prohibited, the manager retorted as if we were too dense to understand. 'The sign says so, so no wheelchairs!' He then gesticulated vulgarly at the sign behind him, without even looking at us.

Not only had the store blatantly discriminated against my father-in-law, but we also felt threatened by the manager's hostile attitude. I expressed my exasperation and we left.

As we left, we noticed another wheelchair-bound customer waiting outside. He was alone, presumably waiting for his family who were inside.

My father-in-law suffered a stroke last year which left him paralysed. We try to encourage him to venture outside the home. Imagine the hurt he must have felt. All he wanted was to buy candies for his granddaughter. We were in the shop earlier and the aisles could certainly accommodate wheelchairs.

Why build ramps in that mall only to limit access to certain shops? Are handicapped individuals allowed only to window shop?

If tenants apply principles which are against the very values the Government is striving to promote, that is, a handicap-friendly environment, landlords should not be passive and allow tenants to tarnish the good name of their establishment.

Had this incident occurred in the West, it would have created an uproar. With the upcoming integrated resorts and the influx of tourists, the mall will not want to be seen in the wrong light.

I wonder what MP Lily Neo would say about what happened to us. As reported in The Straits Times, Dr Neo's team were wheeling disabled people around to find out how to promote wheelchair-friendliness. But there we were, discriminated against by some businessman who could not care less for the handicapped.

As a business owner myself, I strive to impress on my staff that it is the masses we serve and it is the masses who sustain our business. Perhaps Mr X is not interested in the small business each family can give.

The purpose of this letter is to protect my family's rights and I will not stand down to such intimidation.

Catryna Zhang Ai Ling (Ms)