Kuala Lampur, Jan. 27 -- Every day in Kuala Lumpur, thousands of Malaysians step out of their homes unsure whether they will reach their destination safely. For persons with disabilities, older persons, parents with strollers and even children, a simple walk can quickly turn into a dangerous obstacle course.

Uneven pavements, missing kerb ramps, obstructed pathways, dead-end walkways and tactile blocks that abruptly stop are not isolated defects. They are common features of the urban environment. These are not minor inconveniences - they are design and governance failures that expose people to injury, force them into traffic and exclude them from full participation in society.

Recent calls by civil society groups to establish a committe...