NORMALLY, when someone — especially those in the powers-that-be category — makes an uncalled for statement deemed offensive to a certain quarter, he will immediately retract his words, apologise and, of course, as it has always been part of past scripts, deny any ill-will.

S. JEYARAJ, 31, a committee member of the Independent Living and Training Centre, is disabled and wheelchair bound due to an occupational injury.

The accident happened on Jan 3, 2006, when he was working as an engineering technician in Singapore. The incident dislocated his spinal bone and he became paralysed.

“This kind of programme is definitely welcome and will surely benefit the disabled. However such programmes are not something easily conducted and the organisation that runs it must take it seriously,” Jeyaraj said.

ABANG Jai sat at the end of the table quietly. He seemed to have a lot on his mind but was not able to express it.

His eyes moved excitedly from left to right and it was an effort for him to even say anything. Keeping his head
up was quite an effort too.

I could not help but stare. Next to me was another interesting character. He looked pretty ordinary, but whenever he tried to speak, it sounded more like a garble.

PEOPLE with a disability should not be referred to as “disabled” but rather as “people with special ability” as that would best fit their description, said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

He said the term “people with special ability” should become a common phrase when referring to such people as it does not portray a negative perspective on the person with a disability.