IT was a beautiful day for those from Beautiful Gate Foundation when they received early Christmas gifts from Santa.
The foundation for the disabled received a total of 35 wheelchairs, seven three-wheeled motorcycles, seven medical cushions, five hearing aids, a computer and cash totalling RM128,000 from funds raised during a recent charity campaign.
Women, Family and Community Development Ministry parliamentary secretary Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun presented the gifts to those in need after launching the Dong Zhi and Christmas 2006 programme at Atria shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, recently.
“We hope that these gifts would help lessen the burden faced by the disabled and I would like assure them that there is going to be more of such activities to help the disabled lead normal lives,” she said.
Chew said her community service in centre in PJ Utara together with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry and Beautiful Gate Foundation have organised various activities such as free eye checks, hair cut, Chinese traditional healing and other campaigns to improve the disabled community's quality of life.
Chew (centre) distributing Christmas gifts to the disabled.
KUALA LUMPUR: Any public transportation system for the disabled should be sustainable, said Wanita MCA chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen.
She cited how the public transportation system in Hong Kong allowed the disabled to travel with ease and without charge.
She said the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled had proposed a pilot public transportation project in Klang Valley for the disabled.
However, the Government wanted such a project to be sustainable, she said.
“We need the community to come out and propose because they know best what their needs are,” she told reporters after giving away Christmas presents to 41 disabled people under the MCA's Project Care Gift of Life programme.
Dr Ng urged the disabled to register with the Welfare Department in their respective states so that the Government could allocate funds accordingly.
“If you don’t register with us, we don’t know how to plan the budget that includes the disabled,” said Dr Ng, who is Deputy Finance Minister.
Wanita MCA helped raise funds for the Gift of Life programme to purchase nine motorised wheelchairs, 12 three-wheel motorcycles and 20 medical cushions worth RM168,000.
The sponsors included Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Bhd, Metrojaya Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Pavilion Sdn Bhd, Malaysian Charity Draw, Oriental Group of Restaurants and Tanjung Balai Quarry Sdn Bhd.
Dr Ng also witnessed the presentation of a cheque of RM10,000 from Malaysian Charity Draw to Pusat Kebajikan Good Shepherd.
PEOPLE with disabilities should go to the Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC) if they require help to start their own businesses.
Kelana Jaya MP Loh Seng Kok said there were many avenues, aside from allowances by the Government, offered to the disabled, allowing them the opportunity to lead independent lives.
“The Welfare Department also offers a grant of RM2,700 for members of the disabled community who want to start small businesses,” said Loh during the Gift of Life free blood test activity organised by Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled at Summit USJ shopping centre recently.
According to statistics cited by Loh, the total number of disabled people registered with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry stands at 170,445 while there are some 22,335 registered in Selangor alone.
Loh (right) having a word with Gan Poh Poh after her blood test while her daughter Chow Swook Lee (left) looks on.
“Those who are not registered should come forward and register themselves because it allows the ministry to plan a budget for their benefit, and it helps people in general to be more cognizant of the needs of the disabled,” said Loh, who pledged five lightweight wheelchairs to the foundation that day.
He said he would raise the issue of allowing disabled motorists vehicle stickers that waived parking fees, request that a certain amount of pasar malam licences be set aside for the disabled seeking to set up stalls, as well as lobby for a more disabled-friendly Kelana Jaya in the next Parliament meeting and monthly Petaling district gathering.
At the blood drive, some 125 disabled people were given free blood tests sponsored by Princess Shoe & Handbag Centre Sdn Bhd.
This is the second time the local shoe and bag company has sponsored the event. In the first event last year, the company sponsored free blood tests for 75 disabled people.
According to Beautiful Gate executive director Sia Siew Chin, the event was part of the Gift of Life campaign that is being held throughout December.
“We want to drive home the importance of health examinations among the disabled, and that blood screening is crucial,” said Sia.
She added that Beautiful Gate was also seeking help in obtaining lightweight and motorised wheelchairs, three-wheel motorcycles, medical cushions and educational scholarships as these helped the disabled to lead more independent lives.
PETALING JAYA: The disabled are encouraged to continue acquiring new skills that will give them a better chance to join the corporate sector.
Datin Seri Wendy Ong, the wife of Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, called on them to continue acquiring different skills in line with MCA’s lifelong learning programme.
Presenting certificates to 30 disabled people who completed their computer and handphone repair courses recently, she said: “This is a very good start for career advancement, especially those who want to join the corporate sector. Don’t stop here. Continue to learn more.”
CHIT-CHAT: Wendy (third from left) talking with Chan Hwee Lee and other disabled people after the certificate presentation ceremony at Atria Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya on Saturday.
The recipients from the Beautiful Gate Foundation underwent a four-month handphone-repair course, a three-month Microsoft Excel course, a six-month Microsoft Access course and a three-month Microsoft Office advanced course.
Wendy said the public should learn from the disabled people of the foundation who had helped in recycling campaigns organised by the Housing and Local Government Ministry.
“We know Beautiful Gate through the many recycling campaigns. Despite your disability, you still come forward to help the society. We should all learn from you,” she said.
She urged the corporate sector to come forward to help contribute towards disabled people.
She commended SP Setia Foundation for donating 10 computers to Beautiful Gate, making it possible for the disabled people to acquire IT skills.
IT was a rare sight of the able-bodied walking beside the disabled. Some even took turn to push the wheelchairs, helping the disabled to complete the 1.5km distance while exchanging greetings with the onlookers.
That was what happened recently during the walk and wheelathon at SS2 Cares Carnival.
Some able-bodied participants took turns pushing the wheelchair-bound during the 1.5km wheelathon.
It was held in conjunction with the International Day of Disabled Persons celebrated also recently celebrated.
The event attracted about 100 participants of able-bodied and disabled.
Carnival organising committee chairman Datuk Lim Choon Kin flagged them off at 9am in front of SS2 Urban Park.
Although those on the wheelchairs could propel themselves, the able-bodied participants lent a helping hand in pushing them along the way.
Since it was not a race, all participants took time knowing each other throughout the journey to the finishing line.
Roslan getting his blood pressure checked Lim (standing, left) and MBPJ secretary Zulkepli Ahmad look on.
“The main objective of the event is to boost public awareness on the need of these disabled people.
“We also want to bring the able-bodied and the disabled closer through events like this,” said Lim who is also the Damansara Utama state assemblyman.
He added that it is the first a wheelathon organised together with the walkathon, since the International Day of Disabled Persons has been celebrated at the local authority level for the past two years.
This is the third year the carnival is being held in Petaling Jaya.
Other activities during the half-day carnival are colouring competition for the children, health check and sales of items produced by the handicapped community.
Guests were also entertained by performances by the local community.
In his speech, Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Roslan Sakiman congratulated the local community for organising such event.
He added that the city council would continue providing a more accessible environment for the disabled community.
KUALA LUMPUR: In the spirit of the Christmas season, Wanita MCA and the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled will jointly organise a fundraising event – Gift of Life.
“The Gift of Life is in line with Wanita MCA’s Project Care led by our movement chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen,” said Datin Rosalind Lee, who is the organising committee chairman.
Lee said the best present for the disabled was the gift of mobility – such as a three-wheeled motorcycle, motorised wheelchair or detachable wheelchair.
Based on statistics from the Welfare Department, she said there were about 260,000 disabled nationwide but only 17,000 had registered with the department.
“We have to be sensitive towards the disabled and their needs,” she said.
Urging the public to be generous, Lee said any contribution would be meaningful, as the money would be used to present the disabled with a gift of kindness that would help transform their lifestyle.
“These gifts provide mobility to enable them to secure a job, improve their life condition and create opportunities for them to lead an independent life.
“And it will help them develop their self-esteem and strengthen their willpower to live,” she told a press conference at Wisma MCA here.
Lee said there would be a Gift of Life presentation on Dec 14 to give out Christmas presents to the disabled.
All donations are tax exempt.
For more information on the event, contact the foundation at 03-7873 6579, 019-219 8440 or Wanita MCA at 03-2161 8044 ext 105.
Being born with a disability is bad enough, but when one is instantly crippled by an illness or accident, the effect can be quite traumatic. RASHVINJEET S. BEDI discovers how four such persons got back on their feet.
WHENEVER Lee Pei Sun feels lonely, she takes a picture of her two sons from her wallet and looks at it. Divorced three years ago, Lee gets to see them once a week.
Lee, 28, suffers from Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA), a condition that progressively results in unsteady motion of the body. The disease began to attack her body after the birth of her first son, and now she moves about in a wheelchair and her speech is slurred.
Phua Gin Chu, 24, was one month away from getting her taekwondo black belt when she was admitted to hospital with excruciating back pain. Doctors could not determine the cause of her pain, which left her paralysed from waist down.
Krishnan Sivasankaran, 32, lost one leg in a motorcycle accident. The former security guard used to play in goal for a local football team.
COPING WITH CHANGES: Life is not the same anymore for (from left) Phua, Lim and Lee of The Beautiful Gate Foundation.
This is the world of the instant disabled, where a person loses his or her ability to perform routine tasks in one moment. Accepting that disability is not the easiest of tasks.
“I was very low on self esteem and confidence. Even when my friends came to visit, I would not see them. I preferred to cry alone in my room,” said Phua who lost her ability to walk when she was 16. Phua, who is from Sekinchan, was a prefect, played handball and was active in extra-curricular activities.
Depression set in and Phua slit her wrist. Fortunately, she was sent to the hospital in time.
“The doctor told me there were others who were worse off than me. I was told some of them still could draw with their mouth,” she recalled.
Phua, however, did not want to put herself into anyone else’s shoes. “I felt people’s love and support, but I couldn’t accept it. I didn’t want to be pitied,” she said.
After the divorce, Lee went to live at the Beautiful Gate Foundation in Petaling Jaya, a home for disabled people, at the recommendation of a friend. That was three years ago. Back then, any mention of her husband and two sons would set her crying. She also felt like ending her life.
“Although I felt dead inside, committing suicide was not an option because of my sons,” she said.
Lim Kee Loon, 24, was involved in a motorcycle accident in Kuala Lumpur that fractured his neck, ribs, hands and legs. His spinal cord was damaged as well and this affected everything from the chest down. He spent six months in the hospital before going back to his hometown of Kuantan, Pahang.
He occupied his time by watching television, going to hospital and surfing the Internet. He was able to type, although at a very slow pace.
While Lim was positive, his parents could not accept his disability.
“My mother cried every day. It was as if she had lost her son,” said Lim who was at that time two months away from completing his diploma in automotive engineering.
Lim could not bear to see his parents being stressed out and decided to go and live at Beautiful Gate.
“My parents were old anyway and I had to think of the future. I had to learn to be independent,” he said.
As can be seen from these life stories, it takes a while for the instant disabled to accept their condition. This has a lot to do with willpower and learning from others.
Phua’s life changed when she read a book by Taiwanese writer Xing Lin Zi who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and had been confined to a wheelchair since she was 12.
“The book gave me confidence and inspiration. It was then that I realised life is important,” she said.
With encouragement from her headmaster and teachers, Phua went back to school. With time on her hands, Phua could concentrate on her studies and eventually scored a grade one in the SPM examinations.
She went on to get an advanced diploma in computing in a local college, whereas some of her peers dropped out. Phua also represented the country in table tennis at the 2002 Manchester and 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
“Some of my friends tell me that I encourage them. Life is a struggle till the end. We are learning all the time,” said Phua who heads the employment department at Beautiful Gate.
The ever-smiling Lee, meanwhile, has found a place to call home.
“I found God’s love here. I smile a lot because it brings warmth,” said Lee who reads a lot now.
Lim is doing a course in multimedia and hopes to be a programmer when he finishes.
Krishnan did that by turning to sports to occupy his time. He spent two depressed years at home before meeting disabled athlete Law King Khiew who taught him to exercise.
Krishnan took up powerlifting and finished fourth at the 2002 Busan Fespic Games with a personal best bench press of 90kg.
“Your body might be disabled, but your mind is not. Go out and meet other people. Don’t let it (mind) be disabled,” said Krishnan.
He also enrolled himself in an electronics course at the Rehabilitation and Industrial Training Centre (PLPP) in Bangi.
Krishnan now repairs wheelchairs for a living and he enjoys his work, which requires him to travel around the Klang Valley.
The International Day of Disabled Persons (IDD)
TODAY is International Day of Disabled Persons. Observed since 1990, this day promotes an understanding of disability issues and mobilises support for the dignity, rights and the well being of a disabled person. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
Communities all over the world focus on measures to implement international norms and standards related to disabled persons.
This year’s theme for the IDD is “E-Accessibility”. Through its efforts, and collaboration with others, the United Nations aims to raise appreciation among Governments, private entities and the public of the significant benefits to disabled persons and societies when they are empowered with increased access to information technology.
BEING a disabled, Lee Yew Hoe never expected to have the ability to lend a hand to others, especially to those who share the same faith as he does.
“It is the most joyous thing I have ever had, I’m blessed with the strength to guide and help others even though I’m wheelchair-bound,” said the 34-year-old Beautiful Gate Foundation For The Disabled coordinator based in Klang.
Lee (left) and Tan (right) look on as one of the centre’s residents carries out skills training
Growing up in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Lee received much care and love from his parents and siblings, as they always tried to be by his side.
Lee said his family and friends never treated him as disabled and always encouraged and guided him to live a normal life, including doing household chores and attending normal schools.
After leaving high school, Lee felt it was the time for him to be independent and ventured to Petaling Jaya to work as a clerk in a training company.
In 2004, he met Sia Siew Chin, the founder of the foundation, in a Methodist Church in Kuala Lumpur, where he was invited to join the foundation and help out at the main centre located in Petaling Jaya.
“I agreed right away because it was a more meaningful task.
“Besides, opening my heart to more people by meeting more friends, this job has given me great satisfaction,” he said.
A lot of things for the new centre has been made possible through the help of generous sponsors.
Lee said he was posted to a new centre in Taman Chi Liung, Klang, the sixth centre after Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Kepong (Kuala Lumpur), Kampar (Perak), Seremban (Negeri Sembilan) and Malacca for the physically disabled in the area.
He was assigned the task of coordinator to take care of the welfare of the disabled staying at the new centre, playing the role of counsellor and supporter.
“It is great to see them able to face the world again. Some have learnt to live independently and have gotten jobs and even started families of their own,” said Lee.
Lee added that the centre in Klang was officially opened on Oct 11, explaining that those interested in joining the foundation’s programmes were welcome, with priority given to Klang residents.
Tan Auw Hock, the special assistant to Klang MP Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew, who was involved in the coordinating and setting up of the centre, said he had received a numerous calls from people who were interested in the training provided by the foundation.
“I decided to approach Beautiful Gate as it is known for providing training in surviving skills and self-development skills for the disabled,” he said.
It took him two months to plan and look for donors for the project.
“Fortunately, there are many kind-hearted and helpful people in town. We managed to get hold of the premises, contractors for renovation works and others to help us without charges,” he said.
The new centre is located in a double-storey corner house with five bedrooms at Lebuh Turi, Taman Chi Liung.
The centre can house 15 people and accommodate 30 people for daytime training programmes, including computer skills training.
The foundation also appealed for public donations, Lee said, adding that the centre also needed a van to ferry the disabled ones and volunteers, said Lee.
“I hope the members of public could help us and involve themselves voluntarily,” he said.
The public can also donate old newspapers, cardboard, plastic bottles and metals to the centre.
For donations, contact the centre at 03-3373 6094 or 016-318 9615.
MALACCA: Ten-year-old wheelchair-bound Poon Pau Yee had to stop schooling last year as there was no one to send her to school.
Moreover, her school did not have facilities for the disabled.
Her father, an express bus driver, only sees her at home in Port Dickson a few times in a month due to his job commitment while her two elder siblings attend school on week days and do part-time jobs on weekends.
“My best friend is the television set at home,” said Pau Yee, who became wheelchair bound after she was struck by high fever at the age of five. Her mother had since passed away.
Low teaching Pau Yee how to use a computer at the Beautiful Gate Foundation centre in Taman Merdeka Jaya, Malacca, recently.
It was a neighbour who brought food for her regularly.
However, Pau Yee’s gloomy days ended when her aunt from Bukit Beruang here told her father about the Beautiful Gate Foundation's centre for the disabled in Malacca.
Pau Yee has been living at the centre in Taman Merdeka Jaya since April.
She now looks toward attending school again in January.
“I’m happy to be here knowing that someone will be sending me to school soon,” said Pau Yee, who is tutored by Janet Low and Mark Chew, a disabled couple who work for the foundation.
Pau Yee will attend primary six at SK Gangsa, a special children's school at Durian Tunggal in January.
Beautiful Gate Foundation here offers training on survival for the disabled, self-development skills, and computer and bakery classes at its single-storey terrace house.
It is the fifth centre after Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Kepong (Kuala Lumpur), Kampar (Perak) and Seremban (Negri Sembilan) set up by the foundation.
Foundation chairman Low How Juan said the Malacca centre needed volunteers and drivers to help in transporting the disabled in a van and also a computer expert to conduct computer classes at the centre.
“A few students from Multimedia University have volunteered to give computer lessons.
“But we cannot rely on them totally as they have classes to attend,” said Low.
Depending on public donations, the centre plans to build a motorised gate and a roof for the vacant land beside the single-storey terrace house for outdoor activities.
In this Christmas, please kindly sponsor a meaningful Christmas present that will transform another person’s life! This is the best wish you can give on this special day.
In this Christmas, the one wish that our disabled friends prayed for is to receive a gift of kindness that will transform their life! This gift could be a suitable wheelchair, a specially modified motorcycle, hearing aid, a computer, etc. These gifts can provide a source of income to feed their families, help improve their life condition and create the opportunity for them to lead an independent life and above all, it helps them recover their loss self-esteem and willpower to live.
No contribution is too small. You can contribute any amount as far as your limit allows, or you can also encourage others to contribute and come up with a bigger sum. Through the Beautiful Gate Foundation For The Disabled, you can donate the Christmas gift of your choice.All you need to do is follow the simple steps listed below:
1、联络美门残障关怀基金会的潘银珠小姐，根据以下目录选择一份您要送出的礼物，填妥表格及寄上支票。
Contact Ivy Pua of Beautiful Gate Foundation, select the gift you would like to give from the catalogue below, fill up the form and send together with a cheque.(No.29, Jalan SS2/59, 47300 P.J., Selangor, Malaysia) (Tel: 0378736579，78758609, email: bgcentre@yahoo.com)
2、我们将安排适合的残障同胞成为礼物的受惠者
Beautiful Gate Foundation will choose the most suitable disabled friend to be the beneficiary of that gift.
3、们将寄上免税收据及邀请卡以邀请您出席礼物捐赠典礼
We will then send you the receipt for tax exemption and also an invitation card to attend the gift-giving ceremony.
4、带您的家人或朋友出席礼物捐赠典礼以亲手将您的祝福交在受惠的残障者手上
Bring along your family and/or friends to this ceremony to present the gift of love to the chosen disabled friend with your own hands.
Disabled friends living in poverty have only basic wheelchair and some of them are even WITHOUT one! They depend heavily on others to carry out simple daily activities. As a result of mobility restriction, many of them lose the opportunity to attend school, seek employment and make friends. A detachable wheelchair will allow them to take care of their daily activities independently without troubling others therefore giving them a chance to step out of their house into the society, this will also lessen the burden on their family members. Your act of kindness gives them the opportunity to go into school, gain employment, and most importantly, give them hope for the future….
The numerous traffic and industrial accidents have created many middle-aged disabled persons, causing them to lose their ability to work, and cutting off the main course of income for their families. With a three-wheeled motorcycle, not only does it allow the disabled parents to run small businesses and fulfill their role as the main provider of the family, your gift will also allows them to continue contributing to the society regardless of their disabilities.
The most upsetting fact for those with severe physical disability but mentally healthy children is that they cannot even operate a basic wheelchair. The thought of always having to fully depend on the help of others is the main cause towards their loss of determination to live. A motorised chair only requires one finger to operate, this is at least still within their ability. Your gift will open a whole new future path for them to live independently.
Children with multiple disabilities not only suffer from physical disability, some of them suffer from hearing disability too! Your gift will bring beautiful sounds back to their lives and give them the chance to build the bridge of communication with the society, make friends and participate in social activities.
Many disabled children did not have the chance to attend school due to mobility and unfriendly environment. This makes it difficult for them to seek employment in their adulthood. The only way for them to achieve independent living is to encourage them to return to school to gain more knowledge. Sponsoring their tuition fees gives them the chance to be educated and acquired lifelong skills that will help them build a future for themselves.
If there is a severely disabled child in a family, one of the family members will have to leave their job to take care of the disabled child full-time. This often causes a financial crisis in the family, more so for the poor families. With a computer and a printer, they can work from home while taking care of the child. Additionally, a computer can also create job opportunities for the disabled adults to work from the comfort of their home and generate income for living.
Spinal injury paralyses the lower body. As a result, these disabled friends suffer from bowel malfunction and easily develop pressure sore that force them to be in bed for an extensive period of time. With a specially designed medical cushion , it protects their vulnerable hips from further injury and infection, thus allowing them to lead a normal life instead spending the rest of their lives in bed.
Since the establishment of Beautiful Gate Foundation, its effort is to enhance the quality life for the disabled and to help them to be integrated into the society. However, most of the disabled came from poor family and their mobility limitations was their major obstacle. Therefore, various aid equipments are needed to enable them to live independently.
With the generous support from the community and witness by Y.B. Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, we were able to provide 10 light weight wheelchair，3 motorcycles and 1 motorized wheelchair for their usage. We still in need of 35 light weight wheelchairs, 13 motorized wheelchairs and 23 three wheeled motorcycles. We hope the community will come forward to support our effort in helping more needy disabled to be more mobile.
Ten participants of the inaugural Lions Engineering and Drafting Services (LEADS) programme, among them seven physically-disabled individuals and three transsexuals, received their course certificates at a graduation ceremony recently.
Of the 10, two have successfully found jobs in the workforce.
Tham Meng Poh and Elisha Kor will undergo a three-month training stint at Minconsult Engineering Consulting’s office in Petaling Jaya and Ipoh respectively.
Kor, who was accompanied by her entire family, said: “I am definitely one of the luckier ones as not many families are willing to care for their disabled or transsexual child. My family has taught me how to be strong while the LEADS programme has given me the opportunity to be independent.”
Loh (left) presenting wheelchairbound Tham with his graduation certificate.
As for Tham, he said LEADS had helped him to discover that nothing was impossible with hard work.
Among those present at the graduation ceremony were Kelana Jaya MP Loh Seng Kok, Lions Club members, HATI committee members, representatives from Beautiful Gate for the Disabled, Rumah WAKE and various NGOs, Minconsult and Taylor’s College staff.
The LEADS programme is a collaboration between five organisations the Lions Club of Kuala Lumpur (West), HATI, Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled, Rumah WAKE and Taylor’s College Petaling Jaya.
It was initiated to offer the disabled and transsexuals the opportunity to undergo practical training in basic engineering drafting and computer skills training.
Kok Hee Poh, programme organiser and HATI core member said physically-challenged individuals and transsexuals were chosen for the programme as both groups were deprived of access to education.
“Many schools cannot accommodate the needs of the disabled, especially those in wheelchairs due to physical constraint, accessibility and mobility. As for the transsexuals, many of them are misunderstood and treated unfairly by others because of their physical features and mannerisms.
“I believe LEADS is a feasible option that allows them to acquire the much needed skills to enter the job market,” said Kok.
A collaboration effort among five organisations – the Lions Club of Kuala Lumpur (West), HATI, Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled, Rumah WAKE and Taylor’s College Petaling Jaya, LEADS was initiated to offer the disabled and transsexuals the opportunity to undergo practical training in basic engineering drafting and computer skills training.
Of the ten, two participants have successfully gained entry into the workforce industry.
Tham Meng Poh and Elisha Kor will undergo a 3-month training at the design office in Petaling Jaya and site office in Ipoh respectively with Minconsult Engineering Consulting – one of the largest engineering consulting companies in this country.
Kor, who arrived with her entire family in tow, credited the love and support she received at home as the greatest factor that gave her the courage to go the distance.
“I am definitely one of the luckier ones as not many families are willing to care for their disabled or transsexual child. My family has taught me how to be strong while the LEADS programme has given me the opportunity to be independent,” said Kor.
As for Tham, he said LEADS has helped him discovered that with hard work, nothing is impossible.
“I am grateful to our trainers for their time and effort in preparing us for the workforce industry. While sceptics might doubt the possibility of us achieving so much within the 3-month training period, I am living proof that success can be acquired if you try hard enough,” said Tham proudly.
Among those present at the Graduation Ceremony included Loh Seng Kok, Member of Parliament for Kelana Jaya, Lions Clubs members, HATI committee members, representatives from Beautiful Gate for the Disabled, Rumah WAKE and various NGOs, Minconsult and Taylor’s College staff.
According to Lion David Yoong, Lions Club of Kuala Lumpur (West) President, the LEADS programme is one of the many projects organised by this Club to aid the disadvantaged in society.
“The programme has been specially designed to help participants gain the practical skills to succeed in life. However, it is important that they take the first step, and walk the path themselves in order to prove to others that they can do it,” said Yoong.
Kok Hee Poh, programme organiser and HATI core member said physically-challenged individuals and transsexuals were chosen for the programme as both groups are deprived of access to education.
“Many schools cannot accommodate the needs of the disabled, especially those in wheelchairs due to physical constraint, accessibility and mobility. As for the transsexuals, many of them are misunderstood and treated unfairly by others because of their physical features and mannerisms. I believe LEADS is a feasible option that allows them to acquire the much needed skills to enter the job market,” said Kok.
According to Pradeep Nair, Taylor’s College Petaling Jaya COO, it is important for everyone to be ever conscious of those in need, and not let charity be an occasional affair.
“Besides taking the lead in performing community services, it is equally important for educators to teach students about the importance of giving back to society. Compassion and empathy are essential traits in order for our youth to take their productive place as leaders in the global community,” said Pradeep.
Following the success of LEADS’ first batch of participants, LIONS Club, HATI and Taylor’s College have launched the second intake. This will give the less fortunate more opportunities to get a head start in life.
Applications are now open, and interested candidates are advised to send in their forms before September 22.
Training commences October 3, 2006, with classes held twice a week for 3 months, after office hours. Classes are conducted by LEADS volunteers and trainers, and students must attend all 24 classes and complete 10 assignments in order to be eligible for graduation.
For more information, contact Lion David Yoong at 012 – 391 3981, Kok Hee Poh at 013 – 390 4291 or Azura Abdullah at 7876 3939 (Taylor’s College).
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia prides itself as a caring society, but its public transport system has been described as “shockingly disabled-unfriendly”.
And this censure comes from the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, the ministry responsible for the welfare of the disabled, no less.
“I am shocked that disabled citizens, especially those who are wheelchair-bound, are unable to utilise public transport because little effort has been made to enable them to move about easily,” said parliamentary secretary Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.
“I think it is relevant that we keep public facilities and public transport disabled-friendly, and every one has a role to make this a reality, including transport providers and local councils.”
ENABLING THE DISABLED: Chew receiving a complaint from wheelchair-bound citizens near the Bangsar LRT bus station during a campaign protesting against an insensitive public transport system.
She said this at the Bangsar LRT station yesterday after witnessing a campaign to highlight problems faced by the physically disabled in using public transport.
During the campaign, some 30 wheelchair-bound people showed that it was impossible for them to get into a bus because of the steps and the fact that the door was too narrow for a wheelchair.
The campaign was organised by the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled, Society of Chinese Disabled Persons Malaysia, Damai Disabled Persons' Association of Selangor and the Federal Territory and Malaysian Spinal Injuries Association.
Beautiful Gate executive director Sia Siew Chin said the disabled community was frustrated that repeated calls to make public transport disabled-friendly had long been ignored.
She cited the launch of Areas 5 & 6 of Rapid KL's new system on Saturday, noting that the new buses used to cover routes in Klang, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Damansara, Petaling Jaya, and Puchong did not address the needs of disabled people.
“Many often forget that we have rights too – and here we are talking about basic rights such as that to move about freely.
“We hope the Government will place some emphasis on our needs because we want to live independently and not be a burden to anyone,” she said.
Disabled people, she added, often had to rely on taxis but many taxi drivers refused to accept wheelchair-bound passengers.
According to her, the Kelana Jaya (formerly Putra) LRT line allows easy access while KTM Komuter is also accessible with some help but the other LRT lines and KL Monorail have “ignored our needs”.
Rapid KL corporate communications senior manager Katherine Chew said the company planned to import 100 buses with ramps that would enable boarding by wheelchair-bound passengers by December.
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