Donate old Computer and TV for tax deductible receipt

Do you know how much money you actually donated to charity when you give away your recyclable items? Now, you can receive a tax deductible receipt when you donate your old computer, TV and electrical items to Beautiful Gate Foundation PJ Centre. Contact us at info@beautifulgate.org.my, or beautifulgate1993@gmail.com.

甲洞无障碍设施缺轮椅斜道 残疾者冒险闯虎口

甲洞无障碍设施缺轮椅斜道 残疾者冒险闯虎口

2010/07/16 6:17:42 PM

●南洋商报

（吉隆坡16日讯）甲洞区无障碍设施中看不中用，残疾人士被逼使用马路，冒险与汽车“赛跑”，才能抵达目的地，旁人看得心惊胆战！

甲洞与增江一带是残疾人士聚集地，单是甲洞卫星市就有130名靠轮椅代步的残疾人，他们经常使用分别衔接卫星市与孟加拉拉镇及美娜园的两座“友谊桥”，到工作、上课或聚会地点。

即使有关两座友谊桥及路旁都设有残疾设施，但中看不中用，镶嵌地砖与导盲砖的人行道，却独缺轮椅斜道，轮椅使用者被逼使用马路，与汽车“争”车道，甚至“驶”上高架天桥，旁人不禁为他们的安危忧心。

缺德车主霸位停车

更甚的是，虽然甲洞区部分无障碍设施符合标准，既设有导盲砖，也有轮椅斜道，但是，很多缺德的车主却在人行道上违例停车，轮椅使用者同样被逼使用马路。

Japan Embassy provides recycling jobs for the disabled

Japan Embassy provides recycling jobs for the disabled

Hafizah Hoze Rizal

 

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 10:56:00

ALL-ROUND GOOD: Wheelchair-bound Matthew Seow, 33, and Katrina Low, 25, discarding waste into the recycle bin at the Pandamaran Chinese Methodist Church in Port Klang yesterday. — Pic: SALHANI IBRAHIM

PORT KLANG: More recycling bins will be installed in Klang town as the Embassy of Japan has donated 50 recycle bins to the Beautiful Gate Foundation For The Disabled (Beautiful Gate) yesterday.
The handing-over ceremony, held at the Pandamaran Chinese Methodist Church, was officiated by Japan's Ambassador to Malaysia, Masahiko Horie and witnessed by Selangor State executive councillor Ronnie Liu and Beautiful Gate chairman Boh Che Suan.
Horie said the recycle bins came under the Embassy of Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects Scheme.
"We find this meaningful as it offers job opportunities to the disabled. Not only that, through this, we are indirectly encouraging the public to recycle more often," he said.
"We want the public to develop the value of the 3Rs, which is reduce, reuse and recycle. It is crucial to practice the 3Rs as our natural resources are disappearing fast."
Beautiful Gate has been actively involved in recycling activities since 2007. Last year, they submitted a proposal to the Japanese embassy in order to expand the recycling activities and were granted RM155,000 on March 11 this year.
Beautiful Gate executive director Sia Siew Chin said: "Most of the disabled are jobless, so we started the recycling activities in 2007. Through such activities, the disabled are able to gain job experience. At first, it was pretty hard to encourage people to recycle. But now, many understand the importance of recycling."
A resident at Beautiful Gate, 32-year-old Lau Meng Hung, expressed his gratitude over the recycling activities.
"I have tried finding jobs but many rejected me as I am disabled. But through these recycling activities, I have gained a lot of experience such as knowing how to sort the materials accordingly," said Lau, a Sarawakian who has been living at the foundation's home for three years.
Another resident, 27-year-old Lim Chow Tee was ecstatic when asked how she felt.
"I am very happy. The foundation has helped me a lot," said Lim, who is disabled due to an accident.
"We feel appreciated when we are involved in such activities. We may not be educated, but we can learn to expand our working skills."
Beautiful Gate was founded in 2003 and established its first home in Petaling Jaya. Subsequently, more homes were set up in Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Negri Sembilan and Malacca.

Disabled fight adversity for education

By LEE YUK PENG

PETALING JAYA: For the sake of a proper education, they have to go through terrible hardship — like attending school in diapers or urinating in bottles.

Gan Mun Wai, 13, from Ipoh and Kenny Lee Man Jun, 13, from Klang are students with special needs studying at SMK Sri Permata near here. Until recently, the school had no toilet facilities for such students.

“We want to achieve our dreams,” said Mun Wai.

Mun Wai, who has suffered from spina bifida (split spine) since birth, was forced to wear pampers to school while Man Jun, who has muscular dystrophy had to urinate into a bottle before pouring it into the toilet.

Special kids: Gan Mun Wai (behind in green tie), Ooi Wai Chong (with a red school bag), Kam Yu Choi, Leong Yao Wen and Kenny Lee Man Jun, getting ready for school.

However, 10 months after both Gan and Lee started starting going to the school, it managed to secure additional allocation to modify a store room into a disabled-friendly toilet.

School principal Ong Hock Thye said the Petaling Utama district education office approved the RM15,000 allocation after several follow-ups.

Next year, another student with special needs, Song Pei Xuan, will be joining the boys in the school.

Pei Xuan has also faced great difficulty in completing her primary school education in SS2 near here.

She had to wear diapers to school and a maid would have to change her diapers during recess everyday as the school also did not have a disabled-friendly toilet.

All three are currently staying at Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled in SS2 and they are sent to school everyday by a disabled-friendly van.

They are among six students — three in primary schools — who are staying at the foundation.

Three other boys, Kam Yu Choi, Leong Yao Wen and Ooi Wai Chang, are currently attending other schools which do not have toilet facilities for students with special needs.

Source: The Star

EASY TARGETS: Disabled must be protected

DR A. SOORIAN, Seremban

IT was shocking to read reports that criminals have no qualms about targeting the disabled and the elderly. We are told that even charity-based centres are not spared.

Also, the blind are not let alone. They are molested, whether on the streets or in the passageways of their abode. When they lodge police reports, they are not taken seriously. Braille is not available to them when it comes to filling forms.

The deaf are also disadvantaged as police officers are not trained in sign language.

Incidents of the disabled being targeted by criminals never emerged on our mainstream radar before but now seem to be commonplace. The saddest part of it all is that these handicapped victims are overly vulnerable to attack and abuse by criminals at large. And they suffer in silence.

Generally, our country is prosperous and its people compassionate. It is high time a national long-term care scheme (including insurance) for the seriously disabled was launched.

We sometimes groan and moan over minor inconveniences we face, but surely these pale into insignificance when compared with the life sentence of agony and victimisation of these disabled and elderly folk.

Most handicapped victims of crime suffer in silence as they often fail to be taken seriously by the police. KUALA LUMPUR. 08.03.08. General Election 2008 SPR helper guide blind voters Lim Chee Wah 48yrs and Oui Kee Heyoh 52yrs to the polling centre at SK methodist Brickfields P-120 Bukit Bintang . pic by S.Sugumaran Sources: NST Online

Move to employ more disabled people in Johor

JOHOR BARU: The state government, with the help of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has set-up a People with Disabilities Employment Unit to encourage more employers to hire people with disabilities.

Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the unit would provide employers with a data bank of people with disabilities whom they could hire.

It will also act as a support system where those selected will be given training that is suitable for the job.

"The setting up of this unit is one of Johor's efforts to increase the number of people with disabilities in the workforce," he said after opening a national conference on employment and disability here yesterday.

Also present were Social Welfare Department director-general Datuk Meme Zainal Rashid and UNDP assistant resident representative James George Chacko.

Ghani said the setting up of the unit was due to the success of an employment model jointly developed by UNDP and the State Economic Planning Unit. He said the state's immediate target was to fulfil the one per cent quota of employment for people with disabilities in government agencies.

"From there, we hope to expand it to the private sector," he added.

Ghani said for too long, people with disabilities had been discouraged by discriminatory barriers and mistaken assumptions about their capacity to work, causing most of them to withdraw from an active search for jobs and rely on either disability benefits or eke out a livelihood in low value-added work in the informal economy with support from their family.

"With the setting up of this unit, support will be made available to job-seekers with disabilities," he added.

The special unit can be reached at 07-2266618.

Meme said the move by Johor in setting up the unit was a major first step since Malaysia become a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in April last year.

"People with disabilities in this country should no longer be treated as passive recipients of assistance or as a burden to society, but rather as active contributors to society to achieve the goals of development for all," she said.

Meme hoped other states would also follow suit and set up similar units to assist people with disabilities.

Sources: NST Online

Municipal council to provide facilities for disabled in SS15

I AM disabled and have just moved to Subang Jaya from Klang. I am living in SS15. I enjoy living in this area as it has facilities that I need such as banks and restaurants.

Most of the time, I venture out on my own using my wheelchair.

Sometimes, I face difficulties going to certain parts of SS15 because of the curbs, uneven roads and other obstructions.

Is the council planning to make SS15 disabled-friendly to cater to people like me?

Senior citizens will also benefit from the disabled-friendly facilities.

Lim Khiew Wheng


DATUK ADNAN: The commercial area of SS15 was the first phase of development in Subang Jaya that was carried out by Sime UEP at the end of the 1970s.

It is undeniable that in the development plans put forward before 2000, there was no emphasis on the needs and facilities for the disabled.

However, after 2000, the Selangor Town and Country Planning Department, through the Local Agenda 21 programme, stated that the needs and facilities of the disabled must be taken into consideration.

This is stipulated in the development guidelines prepared by the Peninsular Malaysia Town and Country Planning Department.

In the guidelines, the facilities that have to be provided for the disabled include car parks, ramps for wheelchairs in commercial buildings, recreational parks, offices and high-rise residential buildings, as well as disabled-friendly toilets and lifts.

These facilities are stated in the development consent which developers have to adhere to.

In the case of older developed areas such as SS15, the council has identified disabled-friendly facilities that can be provided or upgraded.

These include disabled-friendly facilities at bus stops, pedestrian crossings and walkways from carparks to business premises.

At the moment, we are working with public transport concessionaires, such as Rapid KL and Metro, to build disabled-friendly facilities at existing bus stops to make it easier for the disabled to board buses.

The council is deeply concerned with facilities for the disabled. In 2007, we won the Building and Facilities For The Disabled Award in the government buildings category.

Source: Street, NST Online

TAHANANG WALANG HAGDANAN NEEDS

A call for assistance for the special needs of persons with disabilities from Tahanan Walang Hagdanan. Aside from food and water, residents and other persons with disabilities taking refuge at Tahanan Walang Hagdanan have other needs that others may not know of. There is a need for manpower from able-bodied citizen to reach areas unreachable by those who are in wheelchair. The entire work area and all the tools in them are all damaged. The source of livelihood of TWH is compromised. Others develop athletes foot, PWDs develop additional pressure sores. Catheters rendered useless predispose to urinary tract infection.

Even before the devastation brought by typhoon Ondoy, there is always a certain degree of struggle in every day life. But they are all survivors. An impressive trait shared by everyone is their resiliency. With your help they can get up again.

As per requested by TWH, they need the following:
Medicine:
Antibiotics for UTI, Povidone iodine, Hydrogen peroxide, Alcohol, Paracetamol for adults and children, Meds for cough, colds, fever and diarrhea, Asthma meds, Hypertension and diabetes meds, Oral rehydration solution, Indwelling and straight urinary catheters (French 16, 18, 20), Urine bags, Cotton, Adult diapers, Gauze/bandages, Micropores, Sterile and/ or examination gloves, Water based gel

Other needs:
Mattresses, Blankets, Pillows, Towels, Toiletries, Toothbrush, toothpaste, Bath and laundry soap, Disinfectants, Mops, scrubs, Rubber mops, Pails

Volunteers:
Cleaners, Plumbers, Electricians, those who can fix their livelihood equipment like mig welding machine, pipe bender, compressor, torno and lathe machine, master sander, router, circular saw, woodwork machineries, etc.

You can channel your donations through Life Haven. Please click here.
or direct to Tahanang Walang Hagdanan
175 Aida St., Marick Subd., Cainta, Rizal
Tel #: 6650055/ 6650059/ 6554580/ 6550812
Joy Garcia (Gen. Mgr.) 09189447922
Virgie Montilla (Admin Director) 09206260710

坐輪椅從古城至布城‧20重殘者遊行籌款

* 要聞* 中馬* 地方

2009-09-30 20:24
20名重度殘障人士配合國際殘障人士日，將於12月2至5日突破障礙，參與“一個馬來西亞――從古城至布城輪椅遊行醒覺運動”。（圖：光明日報）


由本地製作的輪椅，除了電板和發動器是由外國進口，其他零件都是大馬製造，只需9000令吉，比進口貨便宜30%。（圖：光明日報）



（吉隆坡）美門殘障基金會負責人謝秀貞披露，20名重度殘障人士配合12月的國際殘障人士日，於12月2至5日突破生心理障礙，參與“一個馬來西亞──從古城至布城輪椅遊行醒覺運動”。

她說，這項為期3天的活動，是由雪蘭莪殘障自立協會、美門殘障基金會及研發輪椅製造的D to D服務有限公司聯辦，用意是提高公眾對殘障人士設施的醒覺，及鼓勵更多殘障朋友融入社區生活。

體溫升高不能排汗

她解釋，因重度殘障者的汗線已遭破壞，在大太陽下活動，體溫升高卻不能排汗，所以參與的朋友都非常辛苦。

她提到，這些參與者為了讓公眾瞭解重度殘障朋友也可獨立自主生活，並為了籌集更多資金購買輔助設備，所以才參與活動。

大會除了邀請婦女、社會及家庭發展部副部長拿汀巴都卡周美芬主持活動推介儀式外，現場也推介由本地製造的電動輪椅。

此外，雪蘭莪殘障自立協會執行秘書黃美娟提到，希望社會人士瞭解重殘人士也可自立生活，並不只是待在家中。

有意參與者可聯絡03-78750943或012-4230604。

由舊路開跑
電動輪椅高速前進

負責全程電動輪椅技術問題的D to D服務有限公司代表陳錦玉說，有關輪椅在遊行時將以高速前進，但輪椅的時速是0―12公里，加上交通法令限制，所以輪椅不能駛上高速大道，活動全由舊路線開跑。

他指出，每架充滿電的電動輪椅如果全速前進，可持續5至6小時，加上這間公司已準備所有配件和電池，確保不會出現技術問題。

他補充，由本地製作的輪椅，除了電板和發動器是由外國進口，其他零件都是大馬製造，只需9000令吉；如果要買相同品質的進口貨，則需多花30%，即逾萬令吉。

歡迎公眾捐款參與

籌委會主席沙福安說，這項活動雖然100%由殘障人士籌辦，但歡迎公眾人士捐款及參與遊行，唯每位參與的公眾需繳付500令吉（包括膳宿）的經費。

他解釋，20名重度殘障朋友將分成5組，每4人一組，以接力方式遊行；每組每次大概會遊行1小時左右，再由另一組接力。

他聲稱，團隊將在12月2日從吉隆坡驅車到馬六甲，過夜後，於3日早聯合當地百多名殘障人士先在馬六甲市內遊行，並呈交備忘錄給當地地方政府。

他補充，大隊將於4日早從馬六甲遊行到芙蓉，再會合當地的逾百名殘障朋友在芙蓉市內遊行並呈交備忘錄後，於當地酒店休息。最後，再從芙蓉遊行到布城。

這次隨行的包括20輛電動輪椅、1輛巴士、1輛羅里、4輛客貨車、3輛汽車和2輛救護車，以確保全程順利進行。

接納殘障者非憐憫

婦女、家庭及社會發展部副部長拿汀巴杜卡周美芬指出，公眾不必同情或憐憫殘障人士，而是應從心中接納他們成為社會一份子，並認真學習如何正確協助他們，才能互相融入彼此生活。

她在甲洞大都會公園推介“一個馬來西亞──從古城至布城輪椅遊行醒覺運動”時說，全國共有26萬1000名正式登記的殘障者，政府也在全國設立了409間技術訓練中心給殘障人士進行各項生活及技訓練，目前國內共有1萬7449名專業培訓人員。

她強調，政府正不斷鼓勵殘障人士自立生活，所以公眾和殘障人士本身都應瞭解到獨立自主精神的重要性。

她宣佈撥款5000令吉給該活動，以讓聯辦團體邀請一些公眾人士前往參與。

此外，馬華甲洞區會主席黃素珠與阿曼蘇利亞支會主席陳艷珍各捐500令吉，並應允即時將全程參與遊行。
光明日報‧2009.09.30

Guidelines for toilets for the disabled

By TAN KARR WEI

THE Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has come up with design guidelines for toilets meant for the disabled.

According to a statement issued by the MBPJ public relations department, the guidelines were prepared as a result of a site visit by the MBPJ Disabled Technical Committee to several old folk’s and handicapped children’s homes in Petaling Jaya.

The committee had discovered that the toilet facilities provided by many of these homes did not comply with the specifications set by the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (Sirim).

Among the problems identified were that the size of the toilets were too small, there were no hand rails, the toilet bowls were too high or too low and some cubicles were not equipped with emergency alarms.

The MBPJ guidelines were drafted according to the exist­­ing Malaysian Standard (MS 1184 : 2002) - Code of Practice on Access for Disabled Persons to Public Buildings by Sirim, the Guidelines on Buildings Requirements For Disabled Persons and overseas design samples.

The design requirements for the toilets are:

·The size of the toilets should be at least 4.5 sq metres and the minimum size should be 2.13m by 2.13m;

·Toilet doors should be at least 900mm in width;

·Toilet seats should be 475mm from the floor;

·Wall mirror should be 1.15m from the floor and at a slant of between 5° and 10° (this requirement is not mentioned in the MS 1184 guideline)

·Hand rails by the toilet seat should be at 800mm from the floor and should be adjustable;

·Door handles must be 500m from the floor and the length of the handles should be 900m and fixed at the edge of the door;

·Emergency alarms must be fitted, with one emergency cord next to the toilet seat and one by the sink, an emergency siren and light beacon fitted inside of the toilet;

·Tissue holders should be next to the toilet seat, at a distance of 500mm

Related Stories:
The woes of the disabled

Source: The Star

The woes of the disabled

By CHRISITINA LOW

IT takes K. Bathmavathi some time to manoeuvre herself out of her car with some assistance and she is used to this. But what she dreads is going round and round looking for a parking bay designated for the disabled.

“Time is wasted looking for a place to park and it is frustrating to find that others are using lots meant for the disabled.

Bathmavathi, wheelchair-bound since 19, said life was tough as very little was being done for people like her.

StarMetro went along with her recently and saw just how bad facilities for the disabled are.

Dangerous: A disabled person using the road to get about as the kerb is just too high to go over.

Some had been vandalised while others were not done in accordance to the needs of a disabled person.

Even going to the banks is a problem as the buildings are not disabled-friendly - with high entrances and some without ramps.

So how do they do their banking?

“We usually wave from outside the glass door and if the security guard notices, he will come over and help carry the wheelchair up the kerb or stairs,” said Thomas Yeo.

When going out with friends, Yeo who uses a motorised wheelchair, said he could only go to a few cafes or restaurants in SS2 as not all were disabled friendly.

“Every shop has its own design and it is like travelling on a rocky road,

Not disabled-friendly: A wheelchair-bound person needs help to access buildings like this one.

“Our wheelchairs cannot go up a kerb and it is not easy to push yourself up without assistance,” said Yeo, who lives with some friends at the Beautiful Gate Foundation Petaling Jaya Centre in SS2.

He said the journey home was also a scary one at night when cars speed past without noticing them.

He added that most of them had an emergency light attached to them or wearfluorescent vests to be noticed.

While the council has allocated parking lots for the disabled, extra space would help as they need this to get out with their wheelchairs.

StarMetro found only certain areas had allocated parking lots for the disabled but the signages had been vandalised.

The residents would be compiling a list of recommendations that the council could look into implementing to make the city a disabled-friendly city.

“We will compile a list and send it to the mayor so that he could look into it and make the necessary changes,” said Bathmavathi who is also in the sub-committee for the All Petaling Jaya Residents’ Asso­cia­tion Coalition (APAC) as well as the Association of Women with Disabi­lities Malaysia.

Razali Adom, who lives in Taman Medan, said disabled people were always looking for places to meet with their friends, sometimes for small gatherings.

“Having to organise such events in community halls is difficult as most are not disabled-friendly.

“Sometimes we want to hold gatherings with friends in larger areas but this is a problem. We have no choice but to hold this events in our houses where we are more comfortable,” said Razali who is also a member of the Malaysian Spinal Injuries Association.

Sam Foong said she only obtained her driving licence recently and realised that getting around on her own was much easier in the city.

However, just like the rest, Foong hopes the council would make available better public facilities for the disabled as they, too, want to move around and enjoy various activities like everyone else.

During a recent council fullboard meeting, PJ mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman said all building plans would have to comply with the MS1184:2002 code of practice of Access for the Disabled People Outside Buildings and urged the departments involved to look into planning guidelines for disabled facilities.

He said several aspects that the council would be looking into seriously were the accessibility of ramps, connectivity, tactile and guilding block, lift, railings, pedestrian crossing, hand rails, grab bars, toilets and signages.

Sources: The Star

Hopes and Joys Merdeka Charity Concert

Hopes and Joys Merdeka Charity Concert

August 1 09, Saturday, MBPJ Auditorium, Civic Centre

Hopes & Joys Merdeka Charity Concert

Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled (PJ Centre) co-organised a charity concert with the Council of Churches Malaysia, Rukun Tetangga SS2B, the offices of YB Edward Lee, YB Lau Weng San and my office.

The Beautiful Gate performing arts troupe demonstrated their skills in well-rehearsed routines

Sources: Dr Cheah Wing Yin's Blog (ADUN Damansara Utama)

Hopes & Joys Merdeka Charity Concert

Hopes and Joys Merdeka Charity Concert
August 1 09, Saturday, MBPJ Auditorium, Civic Centre

Hopes & Joys Merdeka Charity Concert

Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled (PJ Centre) co-organised a charity concert with the Council of Churches Malaysia, Rukun Tetangga SS2B, the offices of YB Edward Lee, YB Lau Weng San and the office of our ADUN YB Dr. Cheah Wing Ying

Sources: Rukun Tetangga SS2B's Blog

Freewheeling dance style

By DERRICK VINESH

SIMPLY captivating. This best summed up the dance performances by a group of wheelchair-bound persons with their able-bodied partners in a fund-raising concert in Penang.

It was also a night of fun for the 33 disabled persons on wheelchairs as they ‘danced’ and swayed to the rhythmic beats of the songs with their partners at the event held at the Jit Sin Independent High School in Bukit Mertajam.

The audience clapped along as the performers captivated them with creative dance movements that were specially choreographed for wheelchair-bound persons to perform with able-bodied partners.

Themed ‘Creativity Beyond Limitations’, the three-hour long concert was pre- sented by members of the Beautiful Gate Foundation For the Disabled (BGF).

The dancers performing from their wheelchairs.

BGF executive director Sia Siew Chin said the show was aimed at creating awareness that disabled persons on wheelchairs were part of the nation’s rich multi-cultural society.

In the show’s first segment, BGF presented a cultural dance showcasing eight disabled boys and girls on wheelchairs together with their partners in matching traditional costumes.

Next was a segment called Joyfulness in Life where nine disabled persons and their accompanying volunteers performed a dance skit to the upbeat numbers Macarena and YMCA.

During this item, one of the disabled persons suddenly fell off the wheelchair and struggled to get back on it.

Rock and roll: BGF members show that onw can have fund and style even on a wheelchair.

“This skit is to depict the difficulties that disabled persons have to face in life.

“But, with perseverance and determi-nation, they can succeed in the end,” Sia explained.

Subsequently, four disabled persons on wheelchairs and volunteers participated in separate ballroom dance items, namely the rock & roll, samba, rumba and cha-cha.

“This item is to showcase that disabled persons can also live together and enjoy life with other able-bodied persons,” Sia said.

Four children, aged between seven and 14 years, later took part in a disabled children’s wheelchair dance presentation, where they used sign language to relate heartfelt messages through two Mandarin songs.

And, after visually impaired singer Daniel Yap belted out three melodious Hokkien numbers, the BGF Performing Arts Troupe members regrouped for the finale where they invited the audience to join them in a freestyle dance.

Earlier, pastor Lee Lip Hock from the Bukit Mertajam Chinese Methodist Church (BMCMC) presented a cheque for RM153,039 that was raised from the concert’s ticket sales and sponsorship to Sia. BMCMC was the event co-organiser.

“We will use the money to buy teaching aid and as well as equipment and amenities for disabled youths at our BGF Kampar Centre in Ipoh, Perak,” said Sia.

Also present was State Youth, Sports, Women, Family and Community Deve-lopment Committee chairman Lydia Ong Kok Fooi.

For details on BGF, visit their website at http://www.beautifulgate.org.my/

Sources: The Star

Eco-enzyme Workshop

Eco-Enzyme workshop saturday 11 july 09

Residents of SS2B were shown how we can help preserve earth's resources by converting our kitchen fruit and vegetable wastes into useful enzymes with multiple house-hold applications.

This is a joint project between Beautiful Gate and MBPJ LA21 and, in our area put together by RT SS2B. ADUN Dr. Cheah Wing Yin was present. Ms Sia Siew Chin of Beautiful Gate was the MC for this session.

The residents showed keen interest and there was a lively Q and A session.
After the workshop the partcipants were served nasi lemak and tea, and were given leaflets and a 300ml sample of eco-enzymes. Overall, it was a fruitful morning.


What a beautiful way to start saturday morning! Watch out for further news on forthcoming events. Have a nice weekend!!

Sources: Rukun Tetangga SS2B Blog

How to start reducing waste production from home

IF EVERYONE took a small step to start reducing waste production from home, that huge sum of money could be used for better social and physical developments.

A simple way to do so is to make your own eco enzyme that acts as an effective cleaning agent, replacing soaps and detergents made of chemicals that pollute underground water, then rivers, and eventually the entire ecology.

This eco enzyme is simply made from water, brown sugar and unwanted fruit peels or vegetable dregs before being evenly mixed and fermented for three months. This “wonder” enzyme can then be used as a detergent, dish cleanser, natural antiseptic, air freshener and even for pet care and pest control.

Well, you can learn how to do just that from the Justlife Group at a public demonstration on Saturday, June 20th at The Star’s Studio V in the 1 Utama Shopping Centre. The company together with the Beautiful Gate Foundation will be conducting the demonstration from 11am to 1pm. This is part of The Star’s efforts under the “Go Green, Live Green 2009” Campaign.

The first 100 people to come for the demonstration will each take home a complimentary bottle of eco enzyme. Registration starts at 10.30am so be there and do your bit for the environment! Admission is but is limited to 100 pax on first-come-first-serve basis.

Sources: The Star

Chance to learn how to make eco-enzyme

Organic waste such as fruit peels and vegetable dregs can be put to good use, simply by turning them into eco-enzyme with the fermentation process.

Eco-enzyme acts as an effective cleaning agent that can replace soaps and detergents that are harmful to the ecosystem.

If you have missed The Star’s Green Day Celebration two weeks ago, here’s another opportunity for you to learn how to make eco-enzyme at home.

Natural cleanser: Dr Joean Oon who specialises in naturalpedic demonstrating the use of ecoenzyme to clean vegetables.

Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled and Justlife organic products chain will show you the making process on June 20 from, 11am to 1pm at Studio V, 1 Utama Shopping Centre.

The organisations have also prepared 100 bottles of eco-enzyme to be given away on a first-come-first-served basis.

It is learned that eco-enzyme can be used as detergent, dish cleanser, natural antiseptic, air freshener and even for pet care and pest control.

It can significantly reduce waste produced from our kitchens, too.

Sources: The Star

Lift for wheelchair-bound MPs and visitors ready

THE Parliament building is now friendlier to wheelchair-bound MPs and visitors as its special lift is ready for use.

Chief Administrator Datuk Kamaruddin Mohamad Baria said: “Disabled visitors can now park their cars at the back of the Parliament building, wheel down a low-gradient ramp, which is covered with anti-slippery mat, to get to the back entrance of the Parliament. Then they can take the lift up.”

Convenience: Norizan trying out the lift for the disabled at the parliament building yesterday.

He said the proposal was to accommodate wheelchair-bound MPs like veteran DAP MP Karpal Singh and other visitors.

Wheelchair-bound Norizan Kasbi was pleasantly surprised when he saw the lift during a visit to Parliament yesterday.

The former Johor Umno Youth information chief was the first disabled person to use the lift.

“This is thoughtful of the Parliament administration,” said Norizan, 47, who became paralysed after a road accident in Sabah in 1999.

Sources: The Star

The disabled just want to live life well

YOUTH and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said handicapped people should not be referred to as “disabled” but “people with special ability” (“Disabled people have special abilities” – The Star, June 13).

As a person living with a spinal cord injury and tetraplegia, I respectfully disagree with him in this matter. For the lack of better terms, I would prefer that we stick to “disabled people,” not even “people with disabilities”.

The term “people with disabilities” puts the burden of the problem on the person.

“Disabled people”, on the other hand, describes people whose interaction in society is limited by environmental and attitudinal barriers. We are disabled by these factors which when removed also removes the disability.

Our collective desire to play an active part in society is severely hampered by the multitude of barriers that we face at every turn of our lives.

Referring to the minister’s statement that many of us are not “disabled” because we have special qualities that sometimes non-disabled people cannot even match, I would like to point out that not every disabled person can achieve such feats, nor do we desire to be super achievers of such calibre.

Likewise, not all non-disabled persons want to scale Mount Everest, swim across the English Channel or are able to sprint 100 meters in under 10 seconds.

Most disabled people want to lead ordinary, but meaningful, lives just like everyone else. Even this simple desire can be difficult to be realised for some.

The Government should spend more time resolving the outstanding issues, especially accessibility in the built environment and public transport faced by the majority of disabled people, instead of coining terms that do nothing to empower us.

What is the point of being called “people with special ability” when we cannot even get out from our homes safely because the environment around where we live is inaccessible?

Does it matter to us if the minister wants to use a supposedly more positive term to refer to us when we cannot even use public transport to move around conveniently?

We cannot escape from the fact that no matter what positive phrases are used, disabled people are still the most marginalised community in the country.

The Government should seriously work towards improving the quality of life of disabled people by removing barriers and providing relevant social support where required.

Sources: The Star

PETER TAN,

Kuala Lumpur.

饥饿 30-Hour Famine 2009 officially launched!

by Joanne Tay, Communications

The 30-Hour Famine 2009 Ambassador 饥饿30爱心大使 - A-Mei, 张惠妹, was in town recently to show her support to the campaign. She spent almost 2 days in KL to officiate the Press Conference and took time off her busy schedule to be with the residents of Beautiful Gate, who is one of the beneficiaries of this year’s Famine.

A-Mei in with some of the residents of Beautiful Gate. She said she was the person who gained the most by spending time with them

A-Mei with Famine Advocates, Organizer & Co-Organizers.

More pictures in our Facebook page. Join us as a fan today for regular updates!

Together to grace the Press Conference were 30-Hour Famine Advocates, TV and radio personalities - Belinda, Gary, Roshan and Nicholas as well as our co-organizers, media partners and sponsors. We at World Vision Malaysia extends our gratitudes for your support and hopes the 30-Hour Famine now takes off to reach RM1million we aspires to raise this year in focus of Global Food Crisis.

We would like to thank members of the media for the coverage given in support of this campaign. We hope through these highlights, more Malaysian would be inspired to be a part of the cause we advocate for and join us in making a difference! Here are some of the news..

• Epoch Times - June 5 ‘09
  

• Malay Mail - June 5 ‘09

• The Star Online TV - June 4 ‘09

• 8TV E-News - June 5 ‘09

• NTV7 E-News - June 6 ‘09

Tags: 30 Hour Famine, A-Mei, Beautiful Gates, Belinda Chee, famine, food crisis, Gary Yap, media, Nicholas Ong, press conference, Roshan, 张惠妹, 阿妹, 饥饿 30

Sources: World Vision Blog