Welfare

Unicef launched a study on the perceptions and attitudes towards childhood disability among Malaysians, which reveals a strong discrimination against the disabled.

85 percent of disabled people aged 18-34 say they are lonely often or all the time, new research from disability organisation Scope has established. The study involved interviews with over 1,000 disabled people.

The Council of Canadians with Disabilities is calling for the repeal of a provision that bars immigrants with disabilities from settling in Canada on grounds that they could place too much demand on the country’s medical system. The group contends the practice is discriminatory and based on outdated, stereotypical ideas around disability.

CLAD in neon green T-shirts, more than 2,000 people gathered at the 24th Annual Charity Walk/Jog/Wheel-A-Thon to promote awareness of disabilities. It was organised by The Spastic Children’s Association of Selangor and Federal Territory (SCAS & FT) Malaysia with the support of about 30 welfare-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Selfless social worker Datuk Mohd Safari Manan was a man well known for his big heart and love for disabled and underprivileged children.

Mohd Safari, who passed away on Wednesday after a brief illness and was buried in the Muslim cemetery in Kampung Likas near Kota Kinabalu, had been helping children with special needs since the early 1980s.

Mohd Yahya Hairdrus may be wheelchair-bound but this has not stopped him from reaching out to others with physical disabilities. To prove that nothing is impossible, the 40-year-old has set up a centre for disabled children in Taman Johor Jaya.

Penantian seorang lelaki warga emas orang kurang upaya (OKU) untuk mendapatkan MyKad bakal tercapai apabila Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) Perak memberi khidmat bantuan Unit Mobile Ehsan JPN ke rumahnya di Teluk Intan hari ini. Ismail Sokri, 68, yang masih memegang kad pengenalan plastik berkata sekumpulan kakitangan jabatan itu datang ke rumahnya bagi memperbaharui kad pengenalan lama yang dimilikinya selepas tidak mampu ke JPN kerana lumpuh.

Kenny Lee Man Njun, 21, who is pursuing a diploma in Mass Communication, is also an author of a motivational book and will start working from home soon.

A group of parents and two teachers from the Special Education Class in Langkawi had a meeting and decided to form a non-governmental organisation called Networking Action For Disabled Youths (Nady). Nady’s main objective is to empower youths with special needs, aged 17 years and above, by unleashing their hidden talent in making handicrafts and help them market the products.

It was a perfect Deepavali gift for 12-year-old Munisha Ragawan, who has suffered from hearing problems since birth. The girl from Tampin, Negri Sembilan, can now hear clearly thanks to a hearing aid donated by Persatuan Kebajikan Bestari Tampin.