In The Face of Disability

In this second post (Introduction was my first), I would like to start on a high note. As I sat and thought about what to write, I vow to ensure all my blog posts are of substance and not mere “emo” posts like the other blogs out there. No offense to those bloggers who believe that blogs are good avenues to vent your emotions. It’s just not my style, unfortunately. So here we go:

Today, someone by the name of Mr Victor Chin, who is an artist, photographer, and curator, gave a talk in my college about the disabled community. He mentioned about how this segment of community – often neglected by the rest – have struggled to live normal lives as citizens in Malaysia. He also talked about his involvement with these disabled people.

I would like to invite all of us to reflect about ourselves.

How many times have we complained about the late (euphemism = a bit not-punctual) ‘Rapid KL’ buses?

Rapid KL is one of Kuala Lumpur’s major bus companies who strives to offer good transportation services to the public. Pun intended.

How many times have we envied those who have what we do not have? I used to envy my sprinter friends who are gifted with long and super fast legs. Oh God, why can’t I run as fast them?

Or perhaps, in our exam-oriented Malaysian society, why can’t I get that string of As that everyone seems to score?

I can go on and on, but allow me to state this: We – often drowned in our perceived lack in studies, work, career, and our own bodies in this materialistic world- are so blessed with gifts that disabled people long for, and for certain reasons, do not realize how blessed we are.

This is typical: I AM NOT SMART ENOUGH TO SCORE 10 A1s IN PUBLIC EXAMINATION. (My evil Winson would really like to scream out “So what?”, but that is a bit too crude and “unprocessed”). But yeah, so what?

Have we thought of children born with learning disabilities i.e autism, Down Syndrome that would hinder them from even obtaining basic education in our public schools? It seems that parents with these special children, more often than not, have to send their kids to special schools just to learn basic skills such as counting, writing, and reading.

In such circumstances, would 10 A1s in their SPM certificate really make that much of a difference? I doubt. (SPM is Malaysia’s equivalent of O-Level qualification. Students are pretty much obsessed with ‘A’ in this part of the world). This I-am-not-good-enough syndrome is universal although the example used is quite specific. We always look for what we do not have rather than what we have.

These disabled children long to acquire basic education just enough to prepare them to face this world, which more often than not in their pursuit for globalization unknowingly marginalize this segment of society, at least in Malaysia. Maybe I tend to generalize too much, but let me say that Malaysia, our beloved nation, is just not very friendly to the disabled community.

HOW UNFRIENDLY MALAYSIA CAN BE?

1) Our public transportation are not catered to these people. One of my lecturers was sharing how he was shocked to see a telecommunication tower erected in the path of those Braille guide on a Bukit Bintang pathway (those yellow thick blocks that I once thought were for decorative purposes).

2) No jobs for them. If you, as an employer for a multi-national conglomerate, have a choice to employ either a fully-able person or a wheelchair-bound person, who would you pick?

3) No mobility + no job = no money. It is hardly a surprise to realize that the disabled community in Malaysia is largely still dependent on others to take care of them. Some of them are successful, they are our brilliant examples of perseverance and determination; but most are still imprisoned in their homes.

The disabled community seeks to live independently. Source: http://victorchin.com/blog/

These are just some perspective that I would like to share. I always believe that there are exceptions but I strongly believe the disabled community deserve more attention to help them lead ordinary lives, independent lives, dignified lives.

Some of my claims may sound offensive ( I am sorry about that) but, do think of how much more the disabled community are offended for being discriminated, and unheard of, in their very own land.

*The title “In The Face of Disability” is borrowed from Victor Chin’s exhibition. For more information on the disabled community in Malaysia, please go to http://victorchin.com/blog/