Disabilities issues advocate writes column for BP – Borneo Post – 16 February, 2013


Peter Tan writes column for Borneo Post.
Image courtesy of Phyllis Wong.

Disabilities issues advocate writes column for BP
Posted on February 16, 2013, Saturday

Peter Tan
KUCHING: Disabilities issues advocate Peter Tan will begin writing a weekly column for The Borneo Post from today.

Titled ‘Breaking Barriers’, Tan will share his experiences of having sustained a spinal cord injury at the age of 18 and life since.

He will also use the column to educate readers on disability issues as well as advocating for the rights of the disabled.

Tan has a blog called ‘The Digital Awakening’ at www.petertan.com and facilitates as a senior disability equality training (DET) trainer through public seminars and workshops.

The training seeks to transform society’s entrenched attitudes and misconceptions about people with disabilities (PWDs) towards a more inclusive community for all.

This includes promoting disability as an equal opportunity issue, examining the barriers faced by disabled people in society, questioning stereotypes, myths and misconceptions about disability, promoting effective communication between disabled people and non-disabled people and promoting positive change both in policy and practice.

During a seminar in Kuching last year, Tan told participants from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private sector and government agencies that PWDs are created when people with impairments experience disabling factors in society or the environment they live in.

While recognising the importance of rehabilitation for PWDs, Tan believes that it is ultimately more beneficial for society as a whole to remove physical, mental, attitudinal and environmental barriers and empower PWDs to participate fully as active, productive and equal members of society.

Born in Penang, Tan has travelled around Malaysia and to Japan and Thailand for training as a peer counsellor for the Independent Living Programme for People with Disabilities.

This project is supported by the Welfare Department and Japan International Cooperation Agency to empower severely disabled persons to live independently in the community through self-respect, self-determination and social reformation.

In 2007, he was a speaker at the 7th World Assembly of Disabled Peoples’ International and Global Summit on Independent Living in Seoul, South Korea.

Tan currently resides in Kuala Lumpur with his loving wife and their pampered cats.

He is also a passionate amateur photographer and food aficionado.

Read the first ‘Breaking Barriers’ column on Page 9.

Link to the article: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/02/16/disabilities-issues-advocate-writes-column-for-bp/

Call To Create A More Inclusive Society – Borneo Post – 23 October, 2012

Joanna Yap of Borneo Post covered the Sarawak State Supported Employment Seminar 2012 at the Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites. This is her article on the Disability Equality Training session titled “What is Disability?” that I conducted. This scanned copy is courtesy of Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Negeri Sarawak. It is also available online here.

New report of the DET session in Kuching Sarawak by Joanna Yap of Borneo Post
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TENA Malaysia Disability Equality Training – Sin Chew Daily – 13 September 2012

This article on the TENA Malaysia “Rediscover Dreams” Disability Equality Training (DET) workshop was published in Sin Chew Daily. The workshop was held at Black Box, MAP@Publika on 2 September 2012. Thanks to Leonard Lim, Senior Marketing Manager of SCA Hygiene Marketing (M) Sdn. Bhd., for sharing this copy with me.

Article in Sin Chew Daily on DET workshop held at Black Box, MAP@Publika
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