SANDAKAN : The government is fully committed to the task of producing more skilled people with special needs through the implementation of various training programmes.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman said the government is concerned with the fate awaiting disabled people in this state, especially in matters relating to their life survival skills and job opportunities.
“We know that these special needs people would find it hard to get jobs, therefore the government is trying its best to provide suitable training and skill courses for them.
“I believe they can succeed if they were given the same opportunity to learn or at least be able to care of themselves,”he said at the certificate presentation event for visually impaired trainers of Taman Cahaya at Mile 12 here yesterday.
Fiften trainees were awarded certificates after they completed their training at the centre.
Also present at the event were Assistant Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Zakaria Haji Mohd Edris, Sandakan Municipal Council president Datuk Ir James Wong, Sandakan deputy police chief Superintendent Fadzil Mohd Ali, and supervisor of the centre, Haji Ibrahim Abdul Hamid.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim said the centre is not solely a training centre to provide skills to the visually impaired person.
“The centre, which opened since 1970, has recently become a tourist attraction after being inspired by the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman.
“The foot massage training introduced in the centre has taught the trainers to give proper massage to visitors to the centre for an appropriate price,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim welcomes donations from the public or the private sector to the centre, as it needs some RM240,000 a year to cover the cost of maintenance, management and staff salary.
Being the only training centre for the blind in this state, the centre has trained more than 700 visually impaired person from all over the state.
Trainers of the centre have the opportunity to learn basic life skills such as walking without guidance, cooking, writing and reading with Braille, making handicrafts, foot massage and even using a special computer.