Two Hundred Disabled Malaysians Enjoy DeepaRaya

Courtesy from Petpositive

DATELINE BATU CAVES, SELANGOR:

ILTC Pix: Rina and Siva

It may have been considered a late Raya gathering for some. And for others, an early Deepavali joyous celebration.

Whatever the case, it was certainly an eagerly anticipated moment for at least a couple of hundred disabled people who braved a heavy downpour last Sunday and made it to the Sri Mahamariamman Temple Devasthanam in Gombak, Selangor.

The occasion? A one-of-a-kind DeepaRaya get-together for the disabled community.

The three-hour event, jointly organised by the Independent Living and Training Centre in Rawang, Selangor and the Board of Management of the Mariamman Temple.

Representing a multireligious and multicultural group, the Dewan Kuil (temple hall) where the gathering was held quickly started to fill up from 7pm.

ILTC pix: Young dancers

Petpositive's President Anthony SB Thanasayan was invited by the ILTC to represent the Petaling Jaya City Council as its City Councillor.

Petpositive was represented by Committee Member Antony Leopold.

Within the hour, the hall was jam-packed with wheelchairs.

So much so that the organisers had to open up the verandah and porch in order to create an outside sitting and dining for the able-bodied guests.

ILTC pix: Having a ball

"We are thrilled that all of our disabled members from the state and Kuala Lumpur - numbering 200 in total - turned up despite the bad weather an hour before opening time", said a beaming Francis Siva to PET+BLOGSPOT when it was all over.

"This was the very first time that the ILTC had done something like this with the Batu Caves temple authorities," he added.

Francis also went on to point out that the temple authorities, who were also doing such a thing for the first time, were so taken up by what transpired that they are thinking of conducting repeat events each year.

As many as ten companies came forward to sponsor the DeepaRaya event.

The main sponsor was Sports Toto Malaysia.

File pix: YB Rodziah

The Selangor Government through YB Rodziah Ismail (Welfare, Women's Affairs, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee Chairman) came up with the second biggest financial support.

McDonald's Malaysia donated 300 burgers. Performances were strictly by the disabled who presented wheelchair dances. The children and young people who also performed were kids of the disabled at the event.

The handicapped turned up with their own transport in cars as well as modified motorcycles. Those that didn't have vehicles of their own were brought by their families and friends.

For more information on the ILTC, click HERE.