Weekend View: A Hero Of The Disabled - NST story

A hero of the disabled Sheila Sri Priya

Anthony Sivabalan Thanasayan is the first ever disabled person to be an MBPJ councillor.

PETALING JAYA: Anthony Sivabalan Thanasayan may have grown up with the disadvantage of being disabled, but the greatest obstacle he has faced in his life has had less to do with his disability per se, and more with the discrimination and lack of consideration shown by society to people like him.

For a while during his formative years, it seemed as if Anthony's spirit was beaten. After a botched operation at the age of 10 left him paralysed, Anthony said goodbye to his education when his school refused to accommodate his need for special facilities.

Later, isolated from the world and intellectually-frustrated, he contended with depression and suicidal impulses.

But Anthony soon rallied with a vengeance. Spurred on by a determination to improve the lives of the disabled, Anthony would go on to become a celebrated disabled rights advocate.

Today, he is president of the Malaysian Animal-assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association and is also founder of the Reaching Out to Educate the Able-bodied and Care for the Handicapped (REACH).

But Anthony's greatest achievement was accomplished only recently, when he was elected as one of 24 new MBPJ councillors, making him the first-ever disabled person to hold such a position.

Q: Tell us about your childhood.

A: I was born in Klang. I'm the second-eldest of four boys, and the rest of my siblings are normal. At a young age, I was diagnosed with Spina Bifida, which meant that my spine was not properly formed and I had a lump on my back.

At the age of 10, I underwent an operation to alleviate the problem, but it was a failure. It resulted in the complete paralysis of the bottom half of my body.

What's worse, doctors blamed my body for the operation's failure and forced me to walk with the aid of calipers, but I couldn't.

There was more heartbreak when I wanted to return to school after Standard Four. My parents had requested the installation of a handicapped toilet for me, and my principal responded by suggesting that I be sent to a school for children with Down Syndrome instead (which could not accommodate me academically).

The only option was for me to stop going to school.

Q: How did you and your family react to this?

A: Once I knew I was disabled, I began wishing that I could mingle with others like me, but I was never given the opportunity to do so. Also, my parents never really spoke to me about why I was different, so I was slightly in the dark.

As a teen, my social activities were limited. When we moved to PJ, I was virtually house-bound and I didn't have many friends.

But my life improved tremendously when my aunt bought me a wheelchair. Suddenly, I could move around of my own accord, and my whole world changed.

Q: Why didn't you have a wheelchair?

A: The silly doctors wanted me to learn to walk because they didn't want to accept the fact that they had rendered me disabled. Apparently, a pediatric doctor had accidentally severed my nerves. So, they didn't want me to rely on a wheelchair because they wanted me to walk again.

Q: How did you manage to advance your education?

A: When I was on my own, I was left with the TV. And when I discovered radio, I was listening to Reuters and BBC news at times, five hours a day. It was a great source of knowledge for me. I was exposed to the outside world.

I was then dealt a blow when I developed bed sores that had to be operated on. I was in hospital for over a year, and was at a very low point emotionally. I felt I only had two options -- live with depression for the rest of my life, or commit suicide. I was then in my early 20s.

But one day, I met a lifeguard who was so intent on teaching me how to swim.

My first lesson in the pool was embarrassing. I was in my swimming trunks and other kids in the swimming pool screamed and ran away when they saw me.

But I didn't care because I felt free. I didn't need a wheelchair to swim! The day I finally realised I could swim was one of the best days of my life.

Q: What was the first big step you took towards living a full life?

A: One day, I wondered what it would be like to travel abroad and how life was like for the disabled in other countries.

So I wrote a letter to the US embassy stating that I was disabled and that I wanted to visit their country.

To my great surprise, my request was approved. And that began an adventure that opened my eyes to the possibilities of life. It was 1982.

Upon reaching the US, I was surprised to be greeted by a quadriplegic who drove his own car. Later, I went on a speedboat ride and a river-rafting expedition for the disabled -- things I never thought were possible for me.

Then I attended a conference where a disabled person giving a talk with a laser pointer had a dog seated beside him.

At first, I didn't understand why the animal was there. But when he accidentally dropped his laser pointer, the dog immediately picked it up, jumped on his lap and placed the pointer back in his hands.

The visit changed me profoundly. When I returned home, I wanted to share my new knowledge with others like me.

I began telling people that the disabled here in Malaysia were living in darkness. Then I started writing letters to newspapers on a range of disability-related issues.

Q: What did you buy with your first few pay cheques?

A: I bought a dog from a pet shop . Of all things, I was sold a rottweiler puppy (the shopkeeper had no clue as to its breed).

My friends were horrified, and told me that someday, the dog was going to push me off my wheelchair and have me for lunch.

But that was then, and I've become quite a dog person since.

Today, I have a rottweiler, a German shepherd and a golden retriever.

They are my best buddies. They taught me to look at life differently. By loving my animals, I learned to love myself.

And they're a big help to me. They help me pick up objects, push my wheelchair, and are generally better to me than some humans, including some doctors!

Q: What were some of the worst instances of discrimination you have faced in your life?

A: I was once insulted by a church pastor for wanting a special toilet. I enjoy window shopping but I was also accused of shoplifting several times when I left without buying anything. They suspected that I must have stolen things.

Today, I'm a proud writer and PJ councillor. How much better can it get?

Q: How did it feel to be appointed as a councillor?

A: I never dreamt of becoming a councillor. In the US, there are disabled people in their councils, but not here.

I was thrilled when I first got the news. They accepted me with my Standard Four education. I was wondering they would change their mind if they knew I never completed my primary education, but maybe, because I have a story to tell, I was honoured with an important role.

MBPJ sent their special van for the handicapped to pick me up from my home on the morning of the PJ councillors swearing-in ceremony event recently.

I had tears of joy in my eyes when I saw the van, and at the board meeting room where the event took place, there was a special table made for me. From the bottom of my heart, I thank MBPJ for their concern.

Q: Where do you hang out?

A: I like going to Mid Valley, because it has wheelchairs and the place is very accessible for the disabled. I don't know of other places. I also enjoy driving around (yes, I can drive!) and sometimes my dogs would go along for the ride.

Q: Have you ever been in a relationship?

A: I've had several relationships, but they didn't work out due to differences.