Councillor in wheelchair denied service at Pizza Hut

Councillor in wheelchair denied service at Pizza Hut

He is an activist for the disabled community and animal rights.

Yet, Petaling Jaya City Councillor Anthony Thanasayan, 53, who uses a wheelchair, said he was denied service at a fast-food outlet in Kuala Lumpur's Mid Valley Megamall, the New Straits Times reported.

Mr Thanasayan said that he was shocked when he was asked by the outlet supervisor to leave his wheelchair outside if he wanted to enter the premises.

He said he had to leave the place without having lunch, the report said.

Mr Thanasayan said the incident occurred at about 1pm on Monday when he went there with his friend, an able-bodied person.

He claimed: "I requested to sit inside with my friend as the restaurant was half-empty. Suddenly, the restaurant manager came and told me that the outlet had a strict and clear policy not to welcome customers in wheelchairs."

He also alleged that the staff refused to serve him.

"I was shocked and sad. How could they do this to me? I cannot walk... I have been a paraplegic for more than 40 years. How do they expect me to leave my wheelchair outside?"

CRIED

He said he cried when he wrote about the incident in his Facebook account.

Meanwhile, Pizza Hut's senior staff have apologised to him, liberal news portal Malaysiakini reported.

The apology was tendered during a 3½-hour meeting between Mr Thanasayan and Pizza Hut on Wednesday. During the meeting, he accompanied the Pizza Hut staff to the outlet to demonstrate how he was stopped from dining there.

"They had acknowledged and accepted the fault of the manager. They apologised fully for what had happened," Mr Thanasayan told Malaysiakini after the meeting.

"They did not justify or defend the outlet manager."

He said: "I am not against Pizza Hut but I am against the attitude of some people in Pizza Hut who mistreat the disabled."


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