I wrote this article not for self-promoting of me in anyway, but the intention is to share my experiences in helping disabled and hopefully it motivates others especially younger generation to consider some social works as part of our caring society.
The link is here. Thanks to Fairuz Othman of NST Johor. Enjoy the reading.
( I have several articles on various issues published earlier in NST Johor section which I will upload later in this blog).
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"It Takes a Special Person to Care"
(NST Johor 24.07.12 - Your Say column)
MY first real involvement with disabled persons was in the late 1980s, when I was doing my postgraduate study in the United Kingdom.
One of my close friends there is Datuk Mah Hassan Omar, president of the National Council for the Blind, who was pursuing a master degree in International Maritime Law.
Mah Hassan had been blind since he was a young boy. In the United Kingdom, we stayed in the same dormitory with shared kitchen facilities.
As a disabled person, he was a very independent person and needed very little assistance from us.
It always amazed me to see how he was able to cook for himself after He had been familiarised with the environment.
One of the first things I learnt from him is that disabled people do not want to be typecast to gain sympathy or help in their daily lives.
I learn a bit of Braille from him and I still send him a Raya greeting in Braille every year.
Although I had done voluntary and social work before, my active involvement with disabled people was only in the recent years, with the Spastic Children's Association of Johor (SCAJ).
Datin Jelita Noor 'Ashikin, a cousin of my wife, was a board member of the association and through her, my wife and I got to know many more wonderful people and volunteers there.
So when the association chairman Tunku Yan Nazihah Tunku Laxamana Nasir asked me to help, it was hard to turn her down.
I know that she and many other dedicated people at the association are highly committed in caring for and giving the best treatment and special education to children with cerebral palsy.
When I look at these children, they always remind me of one of my favourite nieces, Aida Solehah, now 11 years old.
She was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC) meaning curved or hooked joints, which greatly restricts her physical movements.
In the first five years, she was not able to walk or feed on her own.
But thanks to the technological development in medical fields as well as the determination and great sacrifices of her parents, Aida, after undergoing several operations and regular therapy sessions, is now able to walk and eat on her own with minimal assistance.
SCAJ is one of the three major centres in the country that operates a special education school, rehabilitation and sheltered workshops for children and adults with cerebral palsy, and staffed with about 50 therapists, teachers and administrative and support staff.
As with any charitable organizations, the association in Johor relies heavily on volunteers as well as public donations to finance its provision of rehabilitation services and special education to about 140 children.
Although it receives some grants from the Federal and state governments, these only cover about one-third of its RM1.4 million per year operating expenses.
In this respect, I am really proud and honoured to be associated and working with a group of people who are dedicated and committed to meeting the great challenges including fund-raising.
These wonderful people are donating time and energy for the benefit of people with special needs in the community (such as my niece Aida) as a social responsibility rather than for any financial reward.
I remember having dinner with the president of the Institution of Engineers Australia and his wife when they recently visited Johor Baru.
When I asked about the wife's work, I recall her saying excitedly and with great pride that she was a volunteer and a social worker.
I am pretty sure that the people at SCAJ have the same pride in what they do!
Mohd Khir Muhammad, 49, is an engineer. He is currently a Board Member of the Spastic Children's Association of Johor. He and his wife stay in Bukit Jepun, Jalan Mariamah, Johor Baru.
Read more: It takes a special person to care - Johor - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/
