Hsiung (left) and Ying.
KUCHING: Contribution and donation from the public are needed for information and communication technology (ICT) literacy education to prepare the blind community for job opportunities that lies ahead.
National Council for the Blind Malaysia Dato Dr Hsiung Kwo Yeun said that the organisation still needs more funding for courses and training for the blind.
“Currently, contributions goes into taking care of their welfare especially when someone from the blind community is involved in road accidents, burial services and or unfortunate circumstances,” he said during Sarawak Society for the Blind (SSB) 7th Biennial Sports Carnival here yesterday.
The sports carnival being held until this Sunday involved SSB members and other organisations for the blind, he added.
The 63 participants throughout Sarawak are competing in goalball, tenpin bowling, ping pong, dart, chess, chick box, fine cane work and tug- of-war.
“Through the carnival, members of the blind community get to know each other better while building network as most of them have been taught to use mobile phones,” he said.
Head of Team Bandat from SSB (B) Firdaus Hamdan, aged 25, said that together with his teammates Andy Lau, Abdul Mutalib and Norhasfalinda they would try to win the Goalball competition.
“Goalball is played in a quiet environment with a bell embedded in a ball weighing 1.25kg made in Germany.”
“Teams of three have their eyes covered fully and use hearing to throw the ball into the goal net.”
Firdaus who hails from Sebuyau has been playing the sport since he was 11 years old while team member Norhasfalinda, 19 years old, hoped to play the game with the able bodied.
Ping pong event in progress during the sports carnival.
Norhasfalinda who is sitting for her Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) this year, had to give up on the Paralympic 100 and 200 metres sprint events and long jump.
Andy, 24, from Bintulu fell in love with Goalball at 13 years old after joining his friends in a game at SK Special Education (B) in Batu Lintang here.
“We played until the ball exploded as the ball kept hitting the walls,” he shared with reporters.
SSB Kuching division chairman Ying Ten Ping and SSB Sarawak Sport and Recreation chairman Siau Ging Lock were also at the carnival.