The Klang Municipal Council (MPK) has bowed down to public fury over their insistence to take up court action against wheelchair-bound quadriplegic Gurdip Kaur @ Rina.

According to the Malay Mail today, MPK president Abdul Bakir Zin will drop all summonses and an arrest warrant against Rina, who chalked up at least 10 parking fines in Aug 2004 while helping to organise a charity event.

Rina, 45, claimed that she was unable to operate the parking meters nor pay the summonses at the MPK building as the facilities were not disabled friendly.

Abdul Bakir added that Rina has to produce her Disabled Persons' Identification Card and other documents to the council to expedite the process.

This process however, has already been done before when Rina submitted appeal letters to the council for her fines early last year, which was left unheeded.

Educate council officers

MPK's about-turn came just a day after a slew of news reports highlighted Rina's plight. Abdul Bakir said that the council are also looking into allocating more disabled parking lots in the future.

Yesterday, it was also reported that council public relations officer Norfiza Mahfiz said the council will press on with legal action against Rina, although the council is willing to offer a "discount" for her summonses.

Independent Living and Training Centre advisor Anthony Thanasayan said that Norfiza and MPK's initial attitude towards the disabled community was shameful.

He said that such individuals are not capable of understanding the needs and hardship of disabled people.

Anthony hopes that the authorities would learn from this incident and work closely with disabled group while also educating council officers to be more compassionate towards the lesser fortunate.