Association hopes to get greenlight to acquire land for PDK Morsjaya

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Alah (third left) and Chin (second right) lead the cake-cutting ceremony to mark the start of PDK Morsjaya’s ‘Open Day’ and also the centre’s third anniversary.

MIRI: Miri Senadin Special Children Caring Association (MSSCCA) is hoping to have a piece of land meant for Morsjaya Community-based Rehabilitation Centre (PDK).

According to PDK Morsjaya chairman Alah Imang, the present rented premises in Bumiko used by the centre is lacking in space and as such, a lot of equipment cannot be utilised.

“Currently, there are more than 70 children with special needs and OKUs (individuals with disability) registered with PDK Morsjaya – over 50 of whom are trained at the PDK every day, while the rest are home-based.

“We have received a lot of assistance from some Good Samaritans and NGOs (non-governmental organisations), apart from the government especially through the Welfare Department. We want to set up more facilities such as a playground but due to the space issue, we are unable to provide better services to our trainees,” he said at PDK Morsjaya’s ‘Open Day’ yesterday.

Alah said the number of trainees at PDK Morsjaya has been increasing since its establishment three years ago.

“Our dream is for PDK Morsjaya to provide better services to the community, especially the PDK stakeholders comprising the OKUs, the parents, the government, and the donors.

“Necessary improvements are our way to show to the supportive donors that we develop our services to become better than before. The premises where we are currently occupying is temporary. Our ultimate concern is the safety of the trainees,” he said.

Adding on, Alah said the MSSCCA – a special committee set up in 2015 to help PDK Morsjaya in fundraising activities – has identified a three-acre land near Miri Hospital deemed suitable for the proposed permanent centre.

“We are putting our hearts in this plan, should the proposal be accepted by the government. We are hoping that it could be achieved within the next few years.”

Later, Alah accompanied Erick Chin, who is special assistant to Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin, in a cake-cutting ceremony to mark the start of the open day as well as the centre’s third anniversary.

Currently, PDK Morsjaya has nine staff members, comprising eight teachers and a supervisor, who are in charge of 74 trainees aged between three and 40.

After moving to Bumiko from Morsjaya, the PDK added gardening to its various daily activities slated for the trainees.

Gardening is one of the various daily activities for the trainees at PDK Morsjaya.