18/10/2025

SATURDAY | OCT 18, 2025

COMMUNITY 7

Free screening for school pupils on World Sight Day o Many children in Malaysia unaware they have eye defects, cautions opthalmologist Ű P. CHANDRA SAGARAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

IPOH: In conjunction with World Sight Day, a total of 120 pupils of SJK (T) Kg Simee had their eyes screened for any defects at the school hall on Oct 9. The programme was organised by Persatuan Kebajikan Amal Makmur Negeri Perak with the cooperation of the Perak State Education Department. Professional staff of Vista Eye Specialist Centre were on hand to conduct the screenings. The advisor of Eye Screening Programme for Students in Perak, Datuk Dr Jasvinder Singh, an opthalmologist, stressed on the need for screening to detect any problems. He said students are not aware that they have sight defects, contributing to their poor academic results,. “They are intelligent but due to poor eyesight these students fail to excel. “Then there are gadgets like iPads and handphones which cause these youngsters to suffer from problems of far-sightedness,” he added. Jasvinder said the event was aimed at promoting awareness on eye health among schoolchildren, highlighting the importance of regular vision screening and preventive eye care in line with this year’s theme for World Sight Day, which is “Love Your Eyes at Work and School”. “It was a meaningful collaboration between the education, health and community welfare sectors, working together to safeguard the vision and future of our young generation,” he said. K. Nachemuthu, the project manager for the programme, said pupils who are screened would be referred to the hospital depending on the results of their tests. The recipients hailing from the island and mainland, as well as from Kulim in Kedah, were presented with packages filled with 35 grocery items worth RM180 each. Every family also received a goody-bag with snacks and sweets. Additionally, a token amount of RM50 in cash was given to each family to buy festival related items. Children attending the event each received RM5. PHA president Datuk P. Murugiah said many of the B40 families had earlier raised the issue of not having proper housing for their families. In response, Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo, who officiated at the event, said the matter is being looked into and some 170,000 affordable homes have been built. He advised those who need affordable homes to follow the SOP in applying for the housing units in order for the state government to assist. PHA welcomes the state’s proactive action. “As we regularly give a lending ear to the needy, the number of poor families asking for assistance to own affordable homes is increasing,” Murugiah said. “A number of the families have five children

Royal support for autism awareness walk Tuanku Zara watching a boy with disability display his skills. IPOH: Some 700 people, including children with autism and other disabilities, participated in the Program Naungan Kasih Sentuhan Autisme Perak 2025 fun walk flagged off by Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim at Taman DR Seenivasagam here on Sept 27. The children were accompanied by their parents in the 600-metre walk organised by the Pertubuhan Wanita Prihatin Perak with the strategic partnership of the Perak Education Department and Yayasan Perak. The participants hailed from the Kinta Utara, Kinta Selatan, Kuala Kangsar and Perak Tengah districts. Tuanku Zara joined in the VIP walk where she stopped at three points to observe autistic children exercising various skills such as cup setting, lego formation and weaving. Talks and a forum on disabilities and autism were also held, together with exhibition booths and competitions. This event helped to meet the target of setting up three multisensory rooms under the Education Department, costing between RM30,000 and RM60,000 each, in the Kinta district. These were sponsored by corporate firms. The three dedicated rooms are a Snoezelen Multisensory Room at SK Sungai Rokam, and integrated multisensory rooms at SK Coronation Park and SK Sri Sentosa. In her speech, organising chairperson Norzita Rabaai hoped that the rooms would be operational by the end of the year. “These rooms shall provide conducive environments to develop sensory faculties, emotions and learning, so that the children would be brought up in safe, peaceful and loving surroundings. “The rooms are designed to regulate the childrens’ emotions, improve their focus, develop their potential and build their abilities,“ she added. Meanwhile Perak Education Department director Safuan Raba’ai said there is need for at least one multisensory room in every district. Ű P.CHANDRA SAGARAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Ahmad Maswan (centre) watching a pupil undergoing eye screening.

cannot concentrate on their studies,” he said. Ahmad Maswan praised the association for organising the programme and hoped that more schools would be included in the future. Since 2022, some 20,000 students from 100 schools across Perak have been screened under the programme.

Meanwhile, the department’s principal assistant director for special education, Ahmad Maswan Ahmad Fuaad, who represented the State Education Department director at the event, said students are often labelled as “lazy” or “not focussed”. “This is not the case as their problem is due to poor eyesight and as such they

Hindu association serves needy for Deepavali GEORGE TOWN: Some 150 hardcore poor families received aid and goodies in conjunction with Deepavali in a project organised by the Penang Hindu Association (PHA) in collaboration with with Klinik Derma Sivasanta, the welfare arm of the Temple of Fine Arts. This is the 26th year that the Deepavali Charity Event was held since it started.

Murugiah (2nd left) and Jagdeep (3rd left) handing grocery bags to some of the recipients.

governments and the federal government emulate the public housing programme (PPR) that is being successfully carried out in Penang to build more PPR housing units in and around Penang to meet the increasing demand.” Murugiah expressed gratitude to sponsors and donors who came forward to contribute for the beneficiaries during this festive period. “Next year, we hope to touch even more lives because we believe in the power of giving back and sharing God’s blessings,” he said.

to take care of and find it difficult to cope with the constant rise in cost of living and house rentals. “Some have even resorted to borrowing money from loan sharks to settle their rents. This raises concern that if left unchecked many may end up in the streets as homeless.” PHA has appealed to the state authority to expedite the fulfilment of its target to prepare 200,000 units or more by 2030. “PHA also hopes that other state