Multi-racial show from special people

By STEPHEN THEN



Pretty princess: A dancer from Kuala Lumpur showing off some cool moves.

MIRI: A group of wheel-chair bound dancers and disabled musicians from various parts of the country put up an impressive show recently depicting the true spirit of unity.

The children and adults from the Selangor’s Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled and other charity groups in Miri mesmerised the crowd with their ability in performing multi-racial dances and playing musical instruments.

The concert at the Miri Indoor Stadium attracted a sizeable crowd despite the heavy rain.

The performers from all walks of life performed in harmony dressed in colourful Melayu kebayas, Chinese cheongsams and Indian saris and backed by equally talented dancers.

Each performance was greeted by a thunderous applause.

The crowd were not only amazed with the way they danced and played the musical instruments but also how easily they sang and swayed to the different tunes of the various races in the country.

Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam was the guest-of-honour. Chan told the crowd that the special dancers and musicians were a good example of unity and harmony.

“People in society have a lot to learn from these special people. They seemed to be leading the way in terms of being enterprising and innovative, showing courage, determination and discipline and displaying cultural unity and living in harmony.

“On the other hand the so-called able bodied people are engaged in conflicts, complaints having all kinds of disputes.

“These special folk just get on with lives and and try to live life to the fullest of their abilities everyday,” said Chan.



Good show: The performers in multi-racial attire wowing the crowd.

The Sarawak government, he said, wanted to see more of such public concerts organised for the special folk so that their talents and abilities would get greater publicity on a regular basis.

The concert was organised by the Sarawak United People’s Party, the Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti, Parents’ Association For Special People, Jaycees, Lion Clubs, Miri Red Cresent and other NGOs.

Source : The Star

Multi-racial show from special people

Multi-racial show from special people

Monday September 22, 2008

By STEPHEN THEN

Pretty princess: A dancer from Kuala Lumpur showing off some cool moves.

MIRI: A group of wheel-chair bound dancers and disabled musicians from various parts of the country put up an impressive show recently depicting the true spirit of unity.

The children and adults from the Selangor’s Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled and other charity groups in Miri mesmerised the crowd with their ability in performing multi-racial dances and playing musical instruments.

The concert at the Miri Indoor Stadium attracted a sizeable crowd despite the heavy rain.

The performers from all walks of life performed in harmony dressed in colourful Melayu kebayas, Chinese cheongsams and Indian saris and backed by equally talented dancers.

Each performance was greeted by a thunderous applause.

The crowd were not only amazed with the way they danced and played the musical instruments but also how easily they sang and swayed to the different tunes of the various races in the country.

Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam was the guest-of-honour. Chan told the crowd that the special dancers and musicians were a good example of unity and harmony.

“People in society have a lot to learn from these special people. They seemed to be leading the way in terms of being enterprising and innovative, showing courage, determination and discipline and displaying cultural unity and living in harmony.

“On the other hand the so-called able bodied people are engaged in conflicts, complaints having all kinds of disputes.

“These special folk just get on with lives and and try to live life to the fullest of their abilities everyday,” said Chan.

Good show: The performers in multi-racial attire wowing the crowd.

The Sarawak government, he said, wanted to see more of such public concerts organised for the special folk so that their talents and abilities would get greater publicity on a regular basis.

The concert was organised by the Sarawak United People’s Party, the Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti, Parents’ Association For Special People, Jaycees, Lion Clubs, Miri Red Cresent and other NGOs.

“化礙為愛卡”籌款活動推介

蕭依釗：所得悉數歸組織‧“化礙為愛卡”助殘友

（雪蘭莪‧八打靈再也）“星洲日報基金會只酌收“化礙為愛卡”印刷成本，其他費用如製作費、設計費用和版權等一律免費，所得悉數盡歸殘友組織，並希望通過此卡讓公眾瞭解另一層意義，喚醒社會人士關注殘障朋友的處境，盡力協助他們。”

星洲媒體集團總編輯蕭依釗，週四（18日）上午在八打靈再也本報總社，舉行的第3屆“化礙為愛卡”籌款活動推介儀式中，如此表示。

她說，國內殘障人關懷組織過去為殘障人士的付出受到肯定，星洲日報作為一家關心社會的報紙，深知殘障人關懷組織在籌募經費方面面對很多困難，因此推出“化礙為愛卡”，期望協助殘障人士籌款。

今年，除了賀年卡外，星洲日報基金會也推出聖誕卡。

她呼籲社會人士踴躍購買賀卡，雖然設計簡單，但卻包含了對朋友的祝福和愛心，和市場上的賀卡不同。

“我國經濟面對全球經濟衰退的衝擊，加上政治局勢的不穩定，還有今年初賑濟四川及緬甸災民的籌款活動，很多人可能因對前途憂慮而對捐獻有所猶豫，但我希望社會人士可以繼續支持殘障朋友。如果連四肢健全的我們都覺得經濟上面對困難，殘障人士就更困難了。”

她希望“化礙為愛卡”的美好願望，可以達致美好的結果。

出席者包括星洲媒體集團總編輯蕭依釗、星洲日報副文教主任葉偉章、雙福殘障自強發展協會公關幹事廖春蓮、義工郭運銀、美門殘障關懷基金執行員劉美莉、愛．關懷之家總幹事林國強、義工王家良、生命線社區福利中心執行長吳銘傑、生命線社區福利中心主任甘佩清。

目前參與此活動的團體包括雙福殘障自強發展協會（電話：03-79831842）、雙福殘障自強發展協會柔佛分會（電話：07-5593692）、八打靈美門殘障職訓中心（電話：03-78736579）、甲洞美門康復中心（電話：03-62763690）、馬六甲美門殘障關懷中心（電話：012-6411319）、愛．關懷之家（電話：013-3409622）、生命線社區福利中心（電話：012-7882281）。

聖誕及賀年卡
每套5張售5令吉

聖誕卡和賀年卡每套分別含有5張賀卡，售價5令吉。星洲日報基金會以非營利方式為殘障人關懷組織提供賀卡，後由殘障團體自行負責銷售，盈利全歸後者所有。

另外，《星洲日報》也會組在特定場合出售卡片，利潤將悉數歸參與這項活動的團體，予以平分。

有意購買或協助上述殘障人關懷組織推售“化礙為愛卡”者，請致電上述團體詢問，或與星洲日報文教部聯絡，電話：03-79658593。

摘自：星洲日报



星洲日報呼吁民眾向殘障團體購買聖誕卡和賀年卡，用行動來幫助殘友。前排左起林國強、廖春蓮、郭運銀、劉美莉，後排左起王家良、吳銘傑、甘佩清、蕭依釗。

Bus drivers ignoring the disabled

By YIP YOKE TENG

SOME Malaysians seem to have forgotten the term “caring society”, which was enthusiastically promoted by the Government a few years ago.

It is said that bus drivers are among those who have turned a blind eye towards the needy, just to avoid the hassle.

A disabled person who only wants to be known as Rebecca has much to share about this.

The 54-year-old, who is semi-paralysed and needs assistance to board the public bus, said she had been ignored by bus drivers many times.

The senior citizen, who is single and lives alone, strives to be independent but the public transportation has posed a difficult challenge.

“The RapidKL bus drivers refuse to take me, they just drive past as though they did not see me. This morning alone, three drivers ignored me,” said the woman from Sanpeng Flats, who visited The Star’s Kuala Lumpur office to highlight her plight.

“I have complained to the officers at the bus stations and they just nod but I there is no change in the situation,’’ she said.

Beautiful Gate director Pastor Sia Siew Chin said they used to receive similar complaints from the disabled community but such cases had decreased over the past few years.

However, she said that disabled persons had difficulty using public transport even though RapidKL had allocated 100 disabled-friendly buses.

“The buses wheelchair ramp is too short and steep for us to board the bus. The only way around it is if the ramp is placed on a raised platform, but our bus stops do not facilitate that,” she added.

She said the disabled community had brought the matter up on numerous occasions but could only see the bus operator and local council passing the problem among themselves.

RapidKL chief executive officer Suffian Baharuddin said the company had engaged NGOs and disabled groups in an effort to come out with ways to serve the community better.

He added that the company and the groups recognised the lack of barrier-free amenities and had urged the local authorities to take the necessary measures.

As for disabled-persons ignored by bus drivers, he said the company took the matter seriously but needed the necessary information, including plate number, time and location from the passengers to identify the irresponsible drivers.

Source : The Star

風雨不改開檔做生意

殘障夫婦熬出春天

芙蓉美門殘障關懷中心資源回收活動詳情：
可回收資源：汽水鋁罐、舊報紙、雜志、書本、塑膠容器（油桶、沐浴露罐和洗頭水罐等）、鐵罐、紙皮、鋁罐（汽水罐）、舊電器及舊電腦。
無法回收資源：衣服、玻璃、木制品、日常垃圾。
聯絡方式：該中心633 3037或彭國平013-399 3367
地址：21，Taman Mambau Baru，70300 Seremban。

（森美蘭‧芙蓉）家裡有舊物要丟棄？先別亂丟，您可通過這些“垃圾”來行善，只需撥一通電話，芙蓉美門殘障關懷中心就會免費上門替你處理可作回收的舊物，既能協助殘障人士，又能清理一些舊物，何樂不為？

為了協助殘障成員多一個就業機會，以及開拓中心營運開銷，芙蓉美門殘障關懷中心已從今年1月開始展開資源回收活動，該中心將通過回收再循環物件，來達到自助助人目標。

目前，負責資源回收工作的是該中心一名半身癱瘓的成員彭國平（34歲），他也藉其殘友身分以身作則，為環保盡一份責任。

黃秀萍：提供殘障成員就業機會

芙蓉美門殘障關懷中心負責人黃秀萍告訴《花城》，該中心進行資源回收主要目的，是提供殘障成員一個就業機會，讓他們依靠自己的勞力，來賺取生活費。

她披露，殘障朋友尋找工作并不容易，老板們總是擔心殘障者無法勝任工作，而婉拒聘請他們，造成他們失去工作機會。

殘友彭國平獲40%津貼

她補充，由於上述問題依然存在，該中心於是從今年1月便開始落實資源回收工作，讓彭國平負責這項任務，後者也以此自食其力。

她說，該中心每月在資源回收上所賺取的補貼，都會把其中40%當作津貼發給彭國平，以示鼓勵，其餘60%都納入該中心基金內。

她表示，該中心之前都有在進行資源回收工作，可是并不是全面的進行此活動，只是偶爾透過教會及朋友收取舊物，從中賺取盈利。

“如今，由於看到殘障朋友的需要，我們才開始公開進行此活動，畢竟他們不能長期依賴社會人士和教會的資助，來維持生活。”

黃秀萍表示，若回收地點靠近該中心，彭國平就會親自駕著電單車前來收取；若是在萬茂新村以外，而且貨量太大，該中心就會派出義工駕著貨車，陪同彭國平進行工作。

先從萬茂及芙蓉新城附近做起

至于偏遠地區，在缺乏人力與交通資源下，她希望有意協助的公眾，能先把舊物賣出，再把獲得的費用轉交給他們，“我們先從附近花園做起，就像萬茂及芙蓉新城等地，以待一切穩定下來才擴大回收範圍。”

該中心目前僅依靠教會或朋友通知才爭取到一些客源，但為了擴大回收範圍，他們已開始沿戶派發傳單，“不過，目前我們得到的反應并不理想，看來還得加把勁。”

21歲遇車禍半身癱瘓
彭國平只想自食其力

彭國平披露，他是於21歲那年遇上車禍而成導致半身癱瘓，手腳及右眼都受到影響，以致很少老板肯雇用他。

他說，他是於3個月前加入美門殘障中心，不久前曾有一間公司表示愿意聘請他，但看見他手腳不太靈活，最終改變主意。

他表示，他不是要為老板添麻煩，只是想依靠自己能力賺錢，如今有了這份資源回收工作，讓他覺得人生踏實，日子過得很有意義。

摘自：星洲日报



芙蓉美門殘障關懷中心已開始進行資源回收活動，但反應不見踴躍，希望能獲得公眾的響應和協助。



彭國平雖然半身癱瘓，但仍堅持以回收資源來自食其力。



為了提供殘障者就業機會，芙蓉美門殘障關懷中心全面展開資源會所活動，左起是黃秀萍，右是彭國平。