PETALING JAYA: Being wheelchair-bound does not stop Pua Ghin Chu physically or mentally. Yesterday, the 25-year-old performed a cha-cha dance with a male partner on stage at a health campaign in SS3 community hall.
After her stunning dance performance, she wheeled herself to the organ donation campaign booth to pledge all her organs.
Amazing feat: Pua performing the cha-cha with her dance partner Theng at the SS3 community hall in Petaling Jaya on Sunday.
“I think it will be a waste of resources if I do not donate my organs after I die,” said Pua, paralysed at the age of 16 after having blood clot in her spine.
She added that she had wanted to pledge her organs a long time ago but did not know where to go. This time around, she overheard an announcement about the organ donation booth and wasted no time in signing up.
“I am sure my parents would have no objection to my pledge,” said Pua, whose parents are vegetable traders in Sekinchan.
The eldest in the family, Pua joined Beautiful Gate Foundation and later took up computer studies. She is the employment coordinator at the foundation.
Pua’s dance partner, Theng Bing Haw, 28, a tutor at KBU college, took up a community project under LP 88 with Beautiful Gate to help the disabled a few years ago.
They underwent two years of training to dance before mustering enough courage to perform live before an audience.
Pua’s swift movement on wheelchair gave the impression she was not bound by it at all. She was able to elegantly twist, turn and move according to the music tempo.
Source : http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/11/12/nation/19445846&sec=nation
In the article published in New Strait Times, Datuk Badruddin Amiruldin (BN -Jerai) stated clearly that Karpal Singh (DAP - Bukit Jelugor)'s temporary state of sitting on a wheelchair is a punishment from GOD!!
What about those who have to depend on the wheelchair for a living? for mobility to their work place?
Is their current disability condition is a punishment from God?
What about those who are born disabled? Is that a kind of pre-punishment from God even before they are given the opportunity to commit crime?
What about those who are permanently disabled then? is that a permanent punishment from God to them?
Whereas those murderer or rapist are of able bodies?
Hence, disability is not a kind of punishment from God!!
Couldn't agree more?? Then, Please DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!
Lets not give the wrong impression that our disabled friends, not only our disabled friends in Beautiful Gate Foundation For The Disabled but disabled friends from around the world, feels that their physical disability is a form of punishment from God!!(Article by : Amy Wong)
We just need a little help: Some of the physically challenged folks who will undergo training at the Armour Security Systems (M) Sdn Bhd.By TAN KARR WEI
Photo by ABDUL RAHMAN SENINTHERE would be more job opportunities for the physically challenged if companies have a barrier-free working place for them.
Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled care and employment head Ivy Pua said among the problems faced by the disabled when trying to get a job is the lack of accessibility to public transportation and to the workplace itself.
“People who are wheelchair-bound can’t work in an office that does not have lifts even if the employer are willing to employ them,” said Pua.
The lack of qualification is also a problem as they faced the same accessibility problems in schools and colleges.
“It’s not that there are no jobs for us but getting there may be a problem. Some work places are not disabled friendly,” said Carol Rasiah, 40, who is wheelchair-bound and sold sweets in the area around her Kepong home to earn money.
Lee Boon Kiat, 23, from Kuala Selangor said it was hard to access the toilets at his previous workplace, as he was wheelchair-bound.
“It’s also hard to stay in a permanent job because we fall sick more often than other employees,” he said.
Chan Sin Wai, 25, can walk and talk but he has Tourette syndrome, a nerve disorder that causes him to have sudden involuntary twitching and utterance of sounds.
“I can’t drive because of my disorder and I only have a narrow selection of jobs like telemarketing for things like credit cards and insurance,” he said.
However, Chan often changed jobs because he could not cope with having to meet a monthly target, as with most telemarketing jobs.
Recognising these problems, the Pudu Rotary Club had taken a proactive step by having a vocational job training and placement programme for these individuals.
Armour Security Monitoring Sdn Bhd will provide full vocational training to about six people who are physically challenged for three months, paying each an allowance of RM600 per month.
Upon completion, they will be offered a permanent job if they are able to perform their respective tasks.
Assistant general manager Ching Eng Seong said jobs like data entry or monitoring of the security systems were suitable for the disabled and he hopes to train more people in future.
“We hope that other NGOs and potential employers will offer this type of training and job placement for other disabled individuals so that they can gain financial independence,” said project chairman Gary Lim Beng Huat.
“By being financially independent, they can regain their self-esteem and confidence,” said Kg Tunku assemblyman Datuk Dr Wong Sai Hou who launched the programme at Shangri-la Hotel, Kuala Lumpur recently.
Companies that have job or training opportunities for the physically challenged can contact United Voice (03-7958 8069), Beautiful Gate (Ivy Pua 03-7873 6579), Malaysian Association for the Blind (Zainuddin Jasmi 03-2272 2677) or the Kiwanis Job Training Centre (Goh Siew Eng 03-7954 3361 or 012-658 2992).
Source : http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/10/18/central/19126493&sec=central
我的女儿今年八岁，读二年级，长得高过我坐着时的肩膀了。拥抱她的时候，想起刚出世时躺在我怀中的小baby，感慨光阴似箭，时间的流失换来生命的成长。
那天她从学校回来，带来了一份通告，说学校将举办园游会，邀请父母亲去参加。看她欲言又止的样子，我就问她什么事。她说，她不想同学们看到她的妈妈是坐轮椅的。
我的心一下子像掉进冰窟里，又冷又痛。我身为母亲的身份，完全被否定了。
我强忍着内心的悲痛，和欲夺眶而出的泪水，陪她玩，陪她吃饭，陪她作功课。
作完功课后，她忽然抱着我说，你是我最爱最爱的妈妈。
原来在她心中，我永远都是她的好母亲，这是肯定的。她只是需要一点时间学习去面对她不想面对的问题，或者去面对她想象中可能会出现的情况。而我，也需要学习在这段期间陪她一起成长。
给别人一点时间，也给自己一点时间。共同的成长，才能共享成长的喜悦。（文稿提供：谢秀贞）
Chan Sin Wei has Tourette’s SyndromeKUALA LUMPUR: With his involuntary spasms and occasional shrieks, it is not easy for 25-year-old Chan Sin Wei to land a job.
But thanks to the Pudu Rotary Club, Chan, who has Tourette’s Syndrome, can now look forward to a six-month vocational stint with Armour Security Monitoring Sdn Bhd.
Chan and six other physically disabled individuals were matched to the company by the Pudu Rotary Club after they were referred by homes like the Beautiful Gate Foundation For the Disabled, United Voice, Malaysian Association of the Blind and Kiwanis Job and Training Centre and Kiwanis Job and Training Centre Slow Learner.
Since receiving his diploma in marketing five years ago, Chan had held many jobs but his contracts were not renewed due to his condition.
The longest he spent on a job was nine months and he has been unemployed for the past four months.
“It has always been hard for people to accept my condition. Kids were mean to me at school and teachers made me sit on my own because they thought I was distracting the class,” he said at the launch of the Pudu Rotary Club’s Vocational Job Training and Placement for Physically Challenged Youth.
Kelana Jaya state assemblyman Datuk Dr Wong Sai Hou officiated at the launch at the Shangri-La Hotel here yesterday.
The RM600 allowance Chan would be getting during his training stint would come in handy as currently he volunteers at the Beautiful Gate recycling centre in Petaling Jaya. The foundation provides him with meals but he has to rely on his savings for other things.
Under the training programme, Chan and the others would monitor the closed-circuit security cameras and perform clerical duties. The company will consider hiring them after the six-month period, based on their performance.
Beautiful Gate’s job placement officer Ivy Pua said despite the tax incentives given to companies that hired disabled workers, many disabled people remained unemployed.
“There are many reasons for this, including inaccessibility to public transport, insufficient disabled-friendly facilities and equipment, and the disabled person’s inability to handle the job,” Pua said.
She said the lack of qualifications and a poor command of the English language also contributed to their low rate of employment.
Beautiful Gate Foundation For the Disabled job placement officer Ivy Pua says many disabled remain unemployed.
Source : http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/National/20071009074225/Article
10大福建傑出女性出爐
（吉隆坡訊）馬來西亞福建社團聯合會婦女組今日（週四，9月27日）公佈“10大福建傑出女性獎”名單，以表揚在各個領域取得傑出表現的福建女性。
“10大福建傑出女性獎”得主分別來自政治、大企業、中小型企業、公共服務界、文化藝術、慈善宗教、團體鄉會、教育研究、家庭和其他領域。
婦女組主席詹麗美表示，獎項的目的在於表揚福建女性在過去50年對國家、社會和族群的貢獻，宣揚她們熱愛國家、家庭和事業的精神。
她在新聞發佈會上指出，大馬華裔人口以福建人居多，成功的福建商家多不勝數，傑出的福建女性更是不少；該會希望通過10大傑出女性獎，肯定國內福建女性的貢獻。
頒獎晚宴10月23舉行
“相信這是首個由華團發起表揚女性的獎項，希望此活動能起拋磚引玉的作用，帶動其他鄉團表揚各籍貫女性的貢獻。”
她透露，頒獎晚宴將於10月23日晚上在八打靈再也晶冠酒店舉行。
6得主分享心路歷程
從眾多提名者中脫穎而出的“10大福建傑出女性獎”的其中6名得主今日在新聞發佈會上，講述了自己在家庭及職場的心路歷程，他們在不同領域取得成功，但她們擁有一個共同點，就是不輕言放棄及敢於接受挑戰的精神。
潘斯里謝叔珍：做善事須發自內心
我認為，做善事必須是發自內心，幫了別人就算了，不應掛在心上或得到表揚。
我只是在日常生活中把能力所及的事情辦好，可以幫到別人未必只有我的功勞，其他人的合作也很重要。
陳達真博士：女性服務華團不容易
女性在華團服務並不容易，大家都是犧牲自己的家庭、時間和金錢，默默為華社付出，但是做不好會被別人指責，做得好反招人嫉妒，指指點點。
華團應以服務為精神，在金錢、關係及情感上都要無私的付出才能受人尊敬。
女性要與男性平起平坐，就一定要有學識，只有踏入社會，女性才能開拓自己的視野，認知自己的價值。
蘇鳳喜：熱愛寫作40年不變
我寫作40年來，不曾參加過任何比賽，當初一同出道的朋友，今天也只剩下我一個。
我從小就喜歡看書寫作，從成人文學到兒童文學，我一直是憑著這股熱愛堅持到現在，就是這樣簡單。
謝秀貞：感謝社會善心人士幫助
家中的7個兄弟姐妹中，4個和我一樣患上肌肉萎縮症，從小我們一家就受到別人的排擠和歧視，造成我很自卑，甚至想一死了之。
不過，在我接觸了教會後，我開始認識到自己並不是完全沒有用，大事我做不到，但至少在小事上我可以幫助別人。
1993年，我創立了美門，從此我的世界不再是面對自己，而是面對別人的困難。我感謝社會的善心人士幫助我，因為你們，我才能去幫助別人。
黃夕鳳：積極協助單親媽媽
有錢人可以把孩子教好，沒錢也一樣！貧窮不可怕，最重要是規劃好生活，不要坐困在悲傷中。
20多年前，丈夫遇車禍殘障，我帶著6個孩子，又要照顧家公家婆，不過我沒有放棄，不斷鼓勵孩子努力求學，今天孩子都長大了，全部在學術上取得優異表現。
目前，我正積極協助單親媽媽，我能把自己的孩子教好，我相信我也能幫助別人。
蘇意琴：不能低估別人潛能
我把人生和職場上的每一個階段看作是一場游戲，最重要是玩得開心。
我當初以1000令吉創業，最後點石“水”成金，改變了整個大馬對飲水的觀念。
身為企業家，我認為，我們不能低估別人的潛能，假如他的生命可以照亮別人，我們必須在他最困苦的時候伸出援手，讓社會栽培人才。 （星洲日報•2007.09.27）
十大福建傑出女性獎得主都有著堅韌不拔的刻苦精神，前排左起：謝叔珍、陳達真及謝秀貞；後排左起：黃夕鳳、蘇鳳喜及蘇意琴。
摘自:http://www.sinchew-i.com/article.phtml?artid=200709271722&data=scnews&spid=84013
美門10月辦慈善晚宴
（芙蓉訊）愛、讓世界更美！一項另類的藝術晚宴，除了可以讓你看到不一樣的表演之外，更能夠為芙蓉美門殘障藝術中心籌募建築經費。
盼籌獲30萬經費
這項由基督教衛理公會中南教區舉辦的“愛、讓世界更美”慈善晚宴，訂於10月6日（星期六）晚上7時在芙蓉中華中學舉行，為芙蓉美門殘障藝術中心籌募建築經費。
該籌委會主席戴蘭說，整個芙蓉美門殘障藝術中心計劃共需耗資70萬令吉，包括建築費及各種設備，但是現在仍欠30萬令吉，希望能透過這次的慈善晚宴籌得。
她說，美門殘障藝術中心著重為森州一帶的殘障人士提供手藝及演藝的培訓，讓這不幸的一群也能擁有謀生的技能並且回饋社會。
通過表演激勵人心
該中心基金會負責人謝秀貞指出，相信通過培訓，殘障人士能夠往專業的演藝領域發展，因為殘障人士的表演除了可以呈現藝術的殘缺美，更重要的是能夠激勵人心的元素。
她表示，該中心所提供的培訓並不僅於技能及知識上的訓練，也包括教導如何設立人生目標及自我輔導等，因為生活上的培訓比起傳遞知識更為重要。
她說，為了落實建立芙蓉美門殘障中心的夢想，希望更多人給予支持，凡捐獻1000令吉或以上者可獲2張貴賓券及成為剪彩人，500令吉或以上者則獲得2張貴賓券，且能豁免所得稅。
有意捐獻者可聯絡芙蓉美門殘障藝術中心633 3037、謝秀貞019-219 8440、戴蘭012-607 9173。 （星洲日報/花城•2007.09.26）
摘自：http://www.sinchew-i.com/article.phtml?artid=200709264255&data=scnews&spid=84013
Amazing feat: Pua performing the cha-cha with her dance partner Theng at the SS3 community hall in Petaling Jaya on Sunday.
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