Seeing their dreams come true
Blind music duo Dinie N Khai want to show youngsters that anything is possible with inner vision, writes Aref Omar
SPORTING sunglasses, the two look as normal as any other active youth on the street. Dinie was pursuing his syariah law studies while Khai, who made the dean’s list twice, was studying for a diploma in actuarial science at UiTM.
But fate offered them a cruel twist and both got their dreams derailed after losing their eyesight.
Muhammad Dinie Abdul Rashid or Dinie, was only nine when he had trouble with his eyes. Although doctors were stumped initially, he was later diagnosed with molecular dystrophy, a slow degrading of optic nerves that had no cure.
Now at 26, only 20 per cent of his vision remains.
An accident during a rugby game left Khairil Azreen Mohd Jasni or Khai blind in his right eye at age 17.
Unfortunately, doctors later discovered that he had glaucoma in his left eye. After eight failed operations, Khai, 25, is permanently blind.
Both confess that it was really hard for them to accept, since they were born with sight and had lost it during their youth.
“I was feeling really down. For a year, I was just so depressed and felt hopeless,” says Khai when met with Dinie at the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) office in Cyberjaya recently.
He adds: “It hurt to see my other coursemates back at UiTM who were now having high-flying jobs.”
MUSICAL INSPIRATION
Although life has been hard, the two persevered and are now striving to inspire others.
Under Persatuan Siswazah Wanita Malaysia (PSWM) and the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB), the duo have given motivational talks about their situation.
“I have spoken in many places around Malaysia, from prisons to orphanages, to share my story with young people there in order to give them hope,” says Dinie, who also has a passion for singing.
His debut single, Pemilik Segalanya, composed by Adi Six Sense, was used as an OST (Original/Official Sound Track) for several TV3 drama series.
“I met Khai while he was working at a wellness spa in Brickfields a few years ago and we just clicked.
“He’s talented and plays the guitar well,” says Dinie.
Khai explains that he picked up the gui- tar and taught himself how to play it right after he lost his eyesight.
Music, he says, was a way to come to terms with his situation at the time.
Calling themselves Dinie N Khai, the duo are now signed under FOC which is owned by actor, TV host and businessman Fizo Omar.
The two will be recording a song soon composed by LY & Baiduri.
“We have many songs but we chose this ballad for our debut,” says Dinie of the yetto-be-titled track.
He adds: “I feel that singing can get me closer to the youngsters as they will be able to take something away from the lyrics.”
The two also see members of popular blind music band Caliph Buskers as mentors and a source of inspiration.
BECOMING INDEPENDENT
“After I gave a talk in Sabah, Fizo came up to me and offered to help develop us further. Since last year, he has become our mentor as well,” says Dinie.
The two are also being coached to become effective motivational speakers and entrepreneurs.
Fizo had introduced them to the eUsahawan programme, which was established in 2015 by MDEC to help young entrepreneurs improve on their sales via digital platforms.
“He wants us to be able to handle different things in order to be independent and eventually self-sustaining,” says Dinie, who is from Penang.
Khai, who grew up in Klang, adds that attending classes under the programme was hard at first but they managed to cope.
The two explain that they are on the verge of launching their own t-shirt line, which will coincide with the release of their first single together sometime in September.
More products are also in the pipeline such as perfumes, as well as an idea to develop an app for the blind.
“People mostly assume that the blind are the ones on the receiving end and who need help. Our long-term aim is to give back to society and to also help the blind,” says Dinie.
As the famous quote from disabled activist Helen Keller goes: The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.
I feel that singing can get me closer to the youngsters as they will be able to take something away from the lyrics.
Dinie