Deeparaya Celebration 2010 With Disabled People

Below you can see more pictures of the “Deeparaya Celebration 2010 With Disabled People” which was very successfully held on 24th October 2010 (Sunday) 7.30pm at Dewan Kuil Batu Caves, Batu Caves, Selangor Darul Ehsan towards Independent Living & Training Centre.

Dept orders centre for disabled to close

Friday October 29, 2010

PETALING JAYA: The centre for the disabled where autistic teenager Brian Goh Kah Heng, 19, died has been ordered to close by the Welfare Department.

The centre, however, asked the department for a delay because it was still locating the families of 17 mentally-disabled patients.

“Forcing the patients to a new unfamiliar place and surroundings would be very stressful to them. It would be best if they were taken care of by their families,” said a worker at the centre, who declined to be identified, yesterday.

It was learnt that the notice of closure was issued on Tuesday following Goh’s death on Sunday and the centre was also not registered with the Welfare Department.

The worker said two patients had already returned to their families, who picked them up on Wednesday.

A 26-year-old man, a foreigner, was picked up at Section 3 here on Tues­day and police obtained a seven-day remand for him.

It was later revealed that the man, who was also a caretaker at the centre, did not possess a work permit.

Goh, who was sent to the home in May, had cerebral palsy and autism.

On Sunday, his family received a telephone call from the centre, inform­ing them that he was having breathing difficulties. The family took him to the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A post-mortem revealed that he had a ruptured spleen and severe injuries to his anus.

Doctors also found severe internal injuries and bruises on the teen. Police recovered a metal rod from the centre, which could have been used to abuse him.

Will Brian's Death Help All Other Disabled & Elderly Homes?

Courtesy from Petpositive

PETPOSITIVE SAYS:

First, Our deepest sympathies and prayers go to the diseased Brian Goh Kah Heng and his family.

Check this out:

• An illegally run centre for people with learning disabilities. They had no approval from the Department of Social Welfare (JKM) to operate. And none, obviously, from the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) as well because permits are only given with the JKM's blessings - in writing.

• As many as nineteen persons with learning disabilities - possibly of various ages - were cooped up in what clearly seems like an overcrowded situation. People with special needs have specific needs related to their type of disability and should never be "lumped together". It may seem like the "easiest thing" to do. But it certainly IS NOT the right; and professional, and wisest thing to do.

• Two caretakers were looking after the boys. (We assume, at this time, that it was an all-boys outfit.) One of them, at least, is said to be an illegal worker. Who was the manager or supervisor? Where were the professionals or experts who are specially trained to work with people with learning disabilities? Did anyone have any knowledge at all about autism or cerebral palsy? At least the head of the centre should have a good knowledge or training to work with people with learning disabilities.

• One can't really expect or blame the Welfare Department for not spotting out this dubious centre - which by the way has been operating (most probably for profit) for a good three years. Hence it is essential for local councils - in this case, the MBPJ - to do active and vigilant monitoring of all disabled and elderly outfits - together with JKM - in order to ensure their professionalism in their delivery of their services.

Or do local councils look at the disabled only with pity and displaced sympathy?

It is time for both the federal and the local councils to raise the quality of care and services of disabled and elderly centres to one where their dignity, rights and safety are protected.

It should not and never be about profit-making at all but rather on what is ethically right and wrong.

Otherwise, Brian's suffering and death would only have been in vain.

Man held over teen’s death

Thursday October 28, 2010

Man held over teen’s death

PETALING JAYA: A foreigner has been remanded in connection with the death of an autistic teenager, who is believed to have been abused and sodomised at a centre for the disabled.

Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed said the 26-year-old man was picked up at Section 3 near here at 2pm on Tues­day and police obtained a seven-day remand for him yesterday.

The man was a caretaker at the centre.

Too much to bear: Chin crying as she follows the hearse carrying Goh’s (inset) body at the funeral in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

It was later found that he did not have any work permit.

“We have recorded statements from several witnesses and more people may be questioned before we wrap up investigations,” he said.

ACP Arjunaidi said investigations revealed that the centre was not registered with the Welfare Depart­ment.

It is learnt that the shelter in Section 18, believed to have started operations about three years ago, has two caretakers looking after 19 mentally-disabled patients.

The funeral of Brian Goh Kah Heng, 19, was conducted at 10am yesterday and he was buried at the Lutheran Gardens cemetery in Kampung Melayu, Subang.

His mother, Elizabeth Chin, 50, said she noticed there were bruises on her son during her last visit to the centre two weeks ago but was told by the caretaker that the boy had fallen.

Goh, who was sent to the home in May, had cerebral palsy and autism.

On Sunday, the family received a telephone call from the centre, inform­ing them that Goh was having breathing difficulties.

The family quickly took him to the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A post-mortem revealed that he had a ruptured spleen and severe injuries to his anus.

Doctors also found severe internal injuries and bruises on the teen.

It was learnt that police recovered a metal rod from the centre which could have been used in abusing the victim.

The case is being investigated as a murder.

When someone tells you that you can't do something...

Look around...

Consider all options...

Then GO for it!
You've gotta stick your neck out!

Use all your skills and positive attitude!

Be creative!

In the end, you will succeed and prove them wrong!

Always remember
"Nothing is impossible, if your attitude is positive!!"

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.