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Published: Saturday June 13, 2009 MYT 5:39:00 PM
Updated: Saturday June 13, 2009 MYT 5:40:40 PM
Disabled people have special abilities

KEMAMAN: People with a disability should not be referred to as ‘disabled’ but rather ‘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.

“Many of them are not ‘disabled’ because they have special qualities that sometimes even a normal person cannot match. “For example, a paralympic athlete has such a high level of commitment, determination and competitiveness compared with a normal person,” he said.

Apart from sportsmen, they (disabled) have also contributed vastly towards the growth of a nation by being doctors, teachers, lecturers, businessmen and craftsmen, he said.

“At the same time, there are also normal human beings who become useless to the community, ‘disabled’ because people like drug addicts, criminals, beggars and jobless do not in any way contribute to the nation,” said Ahmad Shabery after opening the Higher Institution National Expedition and Camping programme at Kolej Universiti TATi Campus, here Saturday.

He had earlier handed out contributions to 140 less fortunate children from six Department of Social Welfare community centres, during a charity programme at Kompleks Penyayang, Kampung Mak Chili in Chukai near here. — Bernama

Tags: Ahmad, Ahmad Shabery Cheek, people with special abilities, The Star Online

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