Misrepresented

Following Straits Times reporter Jeremy Au Yong's article on Wendy's "toiletgate" (or Waterloo, if you prefer), the two charities which reportedly showed their "support" for Wendy in Au Yong's article have indicated that they were misrepresented.

It now appears that the organisations have responded to numerous complaints that they were, as a matter of fact, quoted out of context. They have also written to the Straits Times to clarify their stand.

This, from an e-mail I received from the Society for the Physically Disabled (other bloggers have received a similar reply, I believe):

We refer to the article “All flushed over toilet blog” (Sunday Times, 30 Oct). We wish to clarify that The Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) was responding specifically to the reporter’s query on how it views non disabled using toilets designated for disabled people. SPD was not responding to the blog content or to the blogger of website xiaxue.blog-spot.com. Hence, the quote attributed to SPD in the article was used out of context.

Our specific response to the reporter Jeremy Au Yong’s query, as conveyed in an email reads:
“Accessible toilets are equipped with features that are not only useful for wheelchair users. Expectant mothers as well as the elderly will also find the grab bars and other features useful. In that sense accessible toilets should not be confined for use for wheelchair users only. We should work towards having public toilets that are universally designed, so that it would be of benefit to everyone without discrimination.”

Mr Au Yong however did not use this view and requested again specifically on how SPD felt about non-disabled using the disabled toilet. Our response to his subsequent request via email is:

“Accessible toilets are made for people who need special considerations for their limitations, and should be available for their use at all times. However, reserving them for use by people with physical disabilities without exception can also be impractical, like in situations when there's a queue of people waiting to use the toilet or when someone has an urgent need to use one. In such instances, it makes more practical sense to simply use any available toilet. That said, the priority for the use of accessible toilets should first be given to people with physical disabilities as some have poor or no control over their bowels and bladders.”

Our view remains that accessible toilets should be made available at all times to people who have special needs whether they are the elderly or wheelchair users. SPD strongly advocates an inclusive society where all users, regardless of abilities are able to access universally designed facilities and amenities equally.

Dr Ow Chee Chung
Executive Director


Compare the above reply to what Au Yong wrote: "On the latest furore, she has supporters from an unlikely source. The Society for the Physically Disabled as well as the Handicaps Welfare Association see nothing wrong with sharing the loos as long as the able-bodied give priority to the disabled."

The organisations agree with Wendy that disabled toilets aren't exclusive to people with disabilities. But that's their opinion on the issue; they were not giving official approval for the things Wendy say.

They neither condone what she wrote nor her superficial reasons for using disabled toilets. And they're most certainly not her "supporters".

The Straits Times has yet to respond to this until now. And ironically, with Straits Times foreign editor Warren Fernandez's commentary, "To be responsible, media must first be credible", appearing in today's papers, I really think Singapore's most respected broadsheet (and Jeremy Au Yong) owe these two organisations and its readers an explanation--if not an apology--for a sloppy piece of journalism.