Smiles were written all over the faces of 145 special needs individuals when they received angpows at the Cerebral Palsy (Spastic) Children’s Association of Penang.

“Priority is given to civil servants, the disabled, single parents and those who have been evicted due to development projects,” said State Housing, Local Government, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo after inspecting the new roof of the Penang Island City Council’s public housing scheme in Batu Lanchang on Wednesday.

Jeanett Dian Amonsen was a high-flying TV journalist with a state broadcaster when a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis at 40 derailed her career. Lars Holstein was about to turn 30 and studying law when a car accident left him in a wheelchair.

Every day is a Mother’s Day for 65-year-old Lim Lay Hoon and her son Choong Boon Keat, 38. The mother only gets to see her son for about 45 minutes each morning before he is sent to a recycling centre in Bayan Lepas, Penang, to collect recyclable materials from residential areas.

Organisations with noble causes received a boost for their programmes with help from Star Foundation. The foundation distributed a total of RM177,520 to six non-profit organisations that help the underprivileged and disabled.

The state government will always support programmes that involve development and welfare of the people, especially during Ramadan, said Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal.

Students and caretakers from the Pekan Nenas community-based rehabilitation centre had a fun-filled day during a special outing to Legoland Malaysia. All the 47 students tried out the various rides and watched a movie in Lego City 4D cinema.

“Kami terpaksa membawa mercun bola setiap kali mendaki gunung bersama orang pekak termasuk ketika menyertai ekspedisi Gunung Sarut,” kata Muhammad Azfar Yamin Mohd Kamal. Muhammad Azfar Yamin, 31, jurubahasa Persatuan Orang Pekak Terengganu (POPT), berkata bunyi dentuman kuat mercun dapat mengejutkan mereka apabila berada pada jarak jauh.