FESPIC Games New Straits Times

Free Subscription Interactive Corporate Info
All Sections Frontpage Local News Sport Columns Features NewsUpdates
MOBILE
MARKET WATCH
PLAY SUDOKU
LOCAL WEATHER
YOUR SAY!
HOROSCOPE
ABOUT US
CONTACT US
WEB ADVERTISING
PRINT ADVERTISING
SITEMAP

Tuesday, December 05 2006, 20:45:15 PM Search NST :
Set as Homepage
New Straits Times » Letters

OTHER STORIES
• Poor phone lines led to miscommunication
• Traffic lights should serve two roads
• Raise frequency during peak hour
• Visitor facilities not up to par
• Monitor the sellers
• A slipshod job, no less
• There are more buried treasures
• OIC peacekeepers crucial
• A delightful experience
• Nip problem at primary level
• It's everyone's responsibility
• School is where he should be
• Buses unable to stop

Daily Most Popular Search Terms
rape business accident umno general assembly e-government job family more and more haze court visit malaysia 2007 sex datuk r prime school murder malay mail dr land university penang dr. m berita harian malacca 8 nov sime darby local scholarship datuk siti nurhaliza hospital time australia education japan social car malaysia national women datuk sarawak singapore altantuya shaariibuu raja nazrin incident sport intel altantuya indonesia johor yesterday take over siti nurhaliza who muslim sunday jobs environment klang mat rempit case sabah asian games high 5 day police health house china











CHECK 'EM OUT
• TURN EXPENSES INTO CA$H
• MY Home Business Opportunity
• The All-New Volvo C70
• Jobs@Shell
• Property For Sale/Rent
• 1GB webhosting at RM80!




World News
Agence France - Presse
News
Frontpage
Local
Business
Sport
Columns
Letters
7-Day News
News Archive
Digital Version
Life & Times
Features
Channels
Art Lobby
Goodbites
Travel
Tech & U
Sunday People
Focus
Forums
Blogs
On the Movie Trail
Zainul Arifin
Education
Learning Curve
NSTP Services
Emedia
Classifieds
Mobile
Affiliate
NSTP Papers
Business Times
Berita Harian
Harian Metro
The Malay Mail



WWW NST

Letters

Show them that we really care
05 Dec 2006
ANTHONY THANASAYAN, President Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association, Kuala Lumpur


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ATHLETES with disabilities have shown Asia and the world that just like any other sporting event, the medals should really be for trying and for the camaraderie shared with one another. That makes every one a winner.

This could be achieved no matter what type of disability or multiple handicaps one might have.

Everyone who witnessed the Ninth Far East and South Pacific Disabled Games Federation (FESPIC) meet in Kuala Lumpur would have not only marvelled at what the disabled are capable of, but also realise that it is attitude and other factors — rather than one’s personal disability — that divide people and inhibit the handicapped from achieving their full potential.

Not every disabled person can become a sportsman or woman. The majority of handicapped Malaysians are never seen in a glittering sports arena or in photographs in the media.

However, just because they remain unseen, it doesn’t mean that their lives are less important than our very able disabled-bodied sportsmen.

These people need cheering on too: People with spinal injuries or polio, those paralysed from their necks down and lying on their beds, children with profound learning disabilities, adults with mental illness, older citizens with Parkinson’s disease or stroke, young Malaysians with epilepsy and neurological conditions, the list is endless.

For these "undiscovered" Malaysians, the ability to get around in their wheelchairs, white canes and walking aids is a constant, daily struggle in the real world.

They need educators to stop labelling them as "uneducatable" as people do with the learning disabled.

They need only an opportunity for someone to say "yes" and include them in the workforce.

Even if they never get to be national and international sportsmen and sportswomen, when they have jobs and find themselves in a position to get married, at least their children perhaps can be.

We received reports that the disabled-friendly facilities in some of the hotels that put up the athletes were not up to the mark.

Transport services, taking the athletes from the hotels to the sporting venue, were also poor.

And finally, judging from visuals on TV and photographs in the print media, we regret that the lighting during the closing ceremony appeared inadequate for persons with low and poor vision.

With Visit Malaysia Year 2007 just around the corner, let’s really do something so that persons with disabilities will also be among the tourists we expect to receive next year.
Current Rank:Not rated ( 5-High 1-Low )
1 2 3 4 5





About NST | Contact Us | Advertising | Subscribe Online | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | How To Get There

Write to the editor for editorial enquiry or sales department for sales and advertising enquiry.
Copyright © 2006 NST Online. All rights reserved.