KOTA KINABALU: Whenever wheelchair-bound Fariz Abd Rani gets invited to an event here, the first thing he checks is whether or not it is possible for him to get there.

       The 41-year-old, who runs his own medical device company and training consultancy, said he needs to know whether the building is disabled-friendly, among other things.

       “Does the building have a parking space for the disabled? Is there a ramp? Are there elevators?

       "Is there a toilet for the disabled which can fit a wheelchair? Because if not, it means I need to control my consumption of fluids.

       “If I do not do my homework, I might discover there are no such facilities, and get stuck along the way.

       “Finally, I need to check with my wife if she is free on that day to assist me; if not, I won’t be able to go, ” he said, sharing his experiences from on-ground events in the days before the pandemic.

       It is not his impairment that prevented him from accepting invitations but the non-conducive environment, said Fariz, one of the speakers at a virtual workshop titled “WalKK 1.0” on Sunday (June 27).

       The online event was aimed at exploring the current status and potential of Kota Kinabalu as a walkable and accessible city.

       The event was organised by KotaKita, a newly-formed youth advocacy group, and aimed at enhancing inclusiveness in Kota Kinabalu, especially in urban planning.

       “It is even worse for outstation events in Kuala Lumpur for example. I need additional information about which hotels are close by and which are wheelchair-friendly, and how to get about. All that preparation can take me a whole day.

       “So there is a big difference between being disabled due to physical limitation versus being disabled due to the environment, ” said Fariz, who was paralysed after injuring his spinal cord during a motorcycle accident when he was a student back in 1998.

       Fariz said many disabled people in Kota Kinabalu were not able to fulfil their potential, especially in securing jobs, due to a lack of accessibility.

       “Sooner or later, urban planning here needs to consider this. The first step is recognising the barriers which were created.

       “This includes making public transportation accessible to the public, including the disabled, ” he said, adding that most people are likely to have age-induced impairments that require accessibility in the future.

       Meanwhile, speaker Sharon Magdalene Amin, an architect involved in walkability studies around Kota Kinabalu, said while walking about in the city has obvious environmental and health benefits, financial constraints remain a challenge.

       The hot and humid tropical climate in Malaysia also deters many from walking especially on uncovered routes, she said.

       “Making urban areas walkable is an important solution for adapting cities to climate change, so there is less pollution from motorists.

       "I believe our government wants to turn KK into a livable, sustainable city too.

       “But unlike countries in the west, or South Korea and Japan, we are a developing nation and most of our infrastructure costs do not focus on walkability first.

       "This is a reality we need to face, ” she said.

       However, Sharon added it was crucial that community members and organisations like KotaKita reach out to relevant agencies like Kota Kinabalu City Hall to collaborate on ideas for improvement.

       “Community participation is important in urban planning and I believe the mayor will be receptive to stakeholders, ” she added.