3 rd International Conference on Universal Design in the Built Environment 2013 (ICUDBE3/2013) MUSAWAH: Sharing The World “Universal Design & Green Technology” Putrajaya International Convention Centre, Putrajaya, Malaysia 11 th – 12 th November 2013 1 AUDITING MALAYSIAN STANDARD COMPLIANCE FOR ACCESS AND FACILITIES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN LOCAL AUTHORITY BUILDINGS AND ITS SURROUNDING Hikmah Kamarudin [1] , Nor Rima Muhamad Ariff [2] ,Wan Zuriea Wan Ismail [1] and Elma Dewiyana Ismail [1] ABSTRACT Local authority is a governing body that is responsible to the local affairs and carries out its main functions in providing public services such as planning and overseeing development, licensing, city beautification, health services and providing public amenities. Serving the community, it is desirable that the buildings and the offices of the local authority are easily accessible by the users of the building, including the persons with disabilities (PWDs). The local authority need to grant access and facilities for all especially for the PWDs in its building since the requirements to fulfill the Malaysian Standard (MS) Codes of Practice on Access for Disabled Persons are clearly stated in the Uniform Building (Amendment) By-Laws (UBBL) 1991. In addition, local authority serves as an approval body for planning and building plan application. Therefore, its building is seen as to be outstandingly equipped with the best example of access and facilities which promotes access for all. Thus, this study aims at examining the MS conformity of the access and facilities for PWDs inside and outside local authority buildings. Access auditing has been conducted at four local authority buildings in Klang Valley. The Access Audit Checklist employed in this study has been adapted from Malaysian Standard 1184:2002, Code of Practice on Access for Disabled Persons to Public Buildings (First Revision) and Malaysian Standard 1331:2003, Code of Practice for Access of Disabled Persons Outside Buildings (First Revision). The outcomes of this study are expected to be useful as future reference in designing or retrofitting access and facilities for PWDs in public buildings, which is not only beneficial to disabled users, but the public at large. Keywords: Access auditing, local authority, public building, persons with disabilities (PWDs) [1] Lecturer, Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA [2] Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA