Cherry of a New Beginning

I’m wrapping up...for the year that is.

Hope to be back very soon with more concrete ideas that I can chip in towards the disabled community, an issue like it or not, remains top of my whimpering list.

But first things first, as I need to get my own life sorted out.

Some 10 years ago, when I resigned to the fact that only through a set of wheelchair can determine the black and white of whatever’s left of my remaining life, never really imagined it’d prolong colourfully that now I don’t wish to give up the ghost anytime soon, not at least for another 5-6 decades more.

Before anyone starts having idea this is one of those crappy motivational pieces, it is not because normally my advice to those who always moan how his life sucks to go ahead and snuff it out in the most dramatic way possible.

Personally however, I’ve got so much to live for thanks largely to the decade that’s about to see its curtain fall before us in a few hours time.

It couldn’t have kicked off on the righter foot, when I finally realised it was about time to get off the bed and start learning the trades of getting around on wheelchair. By no means a walk in the park but as I found the groove it didn’t take long before it hits on me there’s actually life ahead that waits.

And so the journey through the decade began, constantly a learning process throughout. Getting back into the society was the toughest hurdle but looking back, it’s not much them but my own weaknesses, the emotional department being the biggest culprit.

That’s all behind me now.

Fast forward to 2009, the final year has at long last provided the elusive break that, to be honest, I’ve been craving for since as far back the day when I first stepped into the wonders of the adolescent years.

Anyway, just as it started, I’m pleased to end the decade on a high.

Similarly, if everything goes to plan (insyaAllah) the new beginning will see the continuation from where it left off, and the New Year will kick off the new dawn on a more positive note.

Only this time with a bang...

By...ehem...

...screwing up.

Young Tigers to the fore

Watching a football game – this time much closer to home- last nihgt, finally in many many years that I felt our (under 23) national team has the right attitude to land us the elusive SEA Games gold medal that’s been missing from the FAM’s cabinet exactly over two decades ago.

Laos 1 Malaysia 3.

It may be a false hope yet but being a closet fan of the national team’s for a while now, the joy’s too overwhelming to keep my emotions from bursting out.

The fans have waited way too long for somethign encouraging to be produced by the national side.

I remember the last time the gold medal went to us was in 1989, soundly beating our tiny neighbours down south 3 goals to 1. Some of the country’s great players, Lim Tiong Kim, Dollah Salleh, K Rajagopal and to a lesser extent a certain Shebby Singh, they were all part of the team.

Heck even the legendary Zainal Abidin Hassan, with his trademark afro hairdo – that easily beats Marouane Fellaini’s any day – played a crucial role in that year’s SEA games fruitful campaign.

The win was such a great deal to all Malaysians that public holiday was even announced the next day.

Of course I don’t expect another holiday beckons – purely a reason I’m no longer schooling- but with expectations running high, our players must by all means, perform to their utmost best for a better chance of not letting this golden opportunity from slipping away.

So bring on Vietnam.

Our Young Tigers should be up to the challenge, as long they keep their gentel skill to a minimal.

1Malaysia for a much-needed change

The International Day of Disabled Persons - the same annual day for people with disability which if I remember it correctly went by a different other name last year - is making its round again today. But by any which name the United Nation fancies it, the aim of the Day has been consistent throughout since its inauguration back in the early 90s, that is mainly to promote better understanding on disability issues, rights of the disabled persons and all that same old same old.

In our country the National level do will be held on the 5th, with the Malaysia Association of the Blind getting the honour to host the event this time around, and again my bet is that its gonna be yet another same old same old.

Everything’s foreseeable.

Speeches by the big shots will be filled with long and scripted sweet promises regardless of whether they had the audience all glued. Then everybody applauds and once the shindig’s over its back to square one.

You can’t blame me for sounding bitter but since the celebration last year (and the previous years) even some simple wishes have yet to be fulfilled.

To elaborate will make this piece sound like a broken record. After all Its the usual issues, you know; Transportation, accessibility, job opportunity and all the disparity in seeking the elusive break that is long overdue.

Maybe there’s some improvement in some sense or another, and I am not going to deny it and give people the impression I’m one ungrateful OKU but when progress is at a snail’s pace, and after decades of waiting at that, the older OKU generation may not live to witness the progress they had fought for over the years.

A significant change has to start now. Not December 3 2010 but now.

I don’t know how the ground-breaking work is gonna be like but the much talked-about concept of 1malaysia may just provide the tool to pull us out of the mud.

Our Prime Minister, the man behind the idea has to personally ensure his brand of governance benefits everyone, that even if a single Malaysian soul being left out will the campaign be considered a dud.

Maybe a little too much for an asking but roping in the disabled community in future development blue-prints IS what the concept partly about.

It is after all about acceptance and does not centre on national unity and ethnic tolerance alone, right?

All we’re asking is to be accepted, to feel the sense of belonging and be part of Malaysia’s development, the same development the country has taken our able-bodied counterparts to at a fairly decent pace.

The last time checked the OKU citizens are Malaysians too, hence our entitlement to some piece of the action, and ultimately sharing the cake.

Failing which, the International Day for the Disabled or whatever it is called nowadays will have a similar story year in year out and It’s gonna be like totally un-1Malaysia if that continues.