KUBANG KERIAN, KELANTAN, November 2014 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) continues to provide assistance to the People with Disabilities (PwD), the latest being in close collaboration with the Rajanagarindra Institute of Child Development (RICD) Thailand.

During the speech to launch the “USM-RICD Wheelchair Modification and Distribution Programme” and “2^nd Vocational Training Programme for People with Intellectual Disabilities Graduation Ceremony 2013/2014” at the USM Health Campus, USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry & Community Network), Professor Dato’ Dr. See Ching Mey, said that USM is always looking for new alternatives including collaborating with various parties to ensure that the interests of the PwD in Malaysia are not neglected.

In this university-community engagement project, USM collaborated with RICD Thailand and three other community partners in Malaysia to remodify the wheelchairs design to adapt to the use of the PwD.

“Through collaboration and knowledge sharing, it is expected that these will have a positive impact on those involved, as the existing expertise and capabilities in USM can be leveraged to establish a centre of reference for wheelchairs design and modification in the future,” she said.

Meanwhile, she also explained that the learning model applied by the Vocational Training Programme (VT) for People with Intellectual Disabilities that was hosted by the Division of Rehabilitation Sciences (Work Description), Exercise and Sports Science Programme, School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, USM, is very suitable to train and prepare the PwD for the working world.

“This programme clearly demonstrated that PwD can be trained as human resources that can contribute to the productivity of the country, thus helping in overcoming the problem of unemployment among them,” See reiterated.

At the ceremony, five PwD rejoiced over the completion of their training in the VT Programme for People with Intellectual Disabilities.

Meanwhile, Thailand RICD Director, Dr. Samai Sirithongthaworn, described this cooperation as a meaningful success in helping to improve the lives of PwD in both countries.

“The work to extend assistance to people with special needs has no borders and this programme is a testimony to it; furthermore the collaboration in technical expertise has made the programme more meaningful and impactful,” he said.

There was a handover ceremony of modified wheelchairs to 28 recipients and the Memorandum of Understanding between USM and the employers of Vocational Training Programme (VT) for People with Intellectual Disabilities as well as an exhibition to showcase the innovation and modified wheelchairs to the PwD.

Also present at the ceremony were the Director of USM Health Campus, Professor Dato’ Dr. Mafauzy Mohamed; Chief Assistant Director of Development for the Disabled and Senior Citizens Welfare Department in Kelantan, Roshayati Omar; USM-RICD Wheel Chair Project Leader & Chairman of the Vocational Training Programme (VT) for People with Intellectual Disabilities, Dr. Mohd. Zulkifli Abdul Rahim; Deputy Dean (Students’ Affairs & Networking) School of Health Sciences, USM Health Campus who is also the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Associate Professor Dr. Shaharum Shamsuddin; Student Representative Council representative of USM Health Campus, Muhammad Hanif Abdul Halim; representatives of government agencies and corporations as well as other USM officials. - Translation: Yong Check Yoon/Text: Mohamad Abdullah/Photo: Mohd Rodin Che Yusoff