Boost for Special Olympics athletes in S’wak
KOTA SAMARAHAN: SEGi University and Special Olympics Sarawak will work together in organising and participating in research and development activities related to the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Programme.
The two parties signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) yesterday during the Special Olympics ( SO) Sarawak State Games Kuching Chapter 2018 at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak ( Unimas).
The three-year MoA will also help draw the public’s attention to the overall health issues facing people with intellectual disabilities, with SEGi providing training opportunity for medical students to work on disabilities.
SEGi University deputy vice chancellor Prof Azrin Esmady Arrifin signed on behalf of the university while deputy president Datuk Jason Tai signed for Special Olympics Sarawak.
The exchange of the MoA documents was witnessed by Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, who is also Special Olympics Sarawak president.
“We have to put in extra effort to ensure that our Special Olympics athletes will be in the pink of health. This will involve the cooperation of all, not only parents but the general public,” she said.
Fatimah explained that the Special Olympics is an international movement dedicated to empowering people with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society, through sports training and athletic competitions.
“Individuals who compete in Special Olympics develop improved physical fitness and motor skills and greater selfconfidence. This is what we hope to achieve,” she said.
She also hoped that they will be able to exhibit courage and enthusiasm and build lasting friendships.
“These life skills enhance their ability to live normal productive lives.”
Meanwhile, Azrin said that classroom training needs to be enhanced by exposing students to the real world, and participation in the Special Olympics programme gives them the opportunity to identify and address the challenges as well as promote the right attitude and behaviour.
“Our second priority is to tackle the reluctance of some parents and members of the community to let children with intellectual disability participate in sports. Lastly, we want to deal with noncommunicable diseases among Special Olympic athletes.”
The Healthy Athletes Programme at the SO State Games 2018 involved 138 health and general volunteers, including specialist doctors, dentist, therapists, nurses, assistant medical and dental officers, optometrists and audiologists.
They screened 220 SO athletes taking part in the games and 100 athletes from Kuching and Samarahan, making over 2,000 health assessments in this oneand-a-half day event.
The data collected will be analysed and published for use in implementing public policy that can benefit the special population.
Also present at the signing ceremony were SEGi University dean Dr Samiah Yasmin Abdul Kadir, Fourth Special Olympics Sarawak State Games organising chairperson Datin Dayang Mariani Abang Zen, Special Olympics Sarawak secretary Chew Siok Cheng, and Special Olympics Sarawak Healthy Athletes Programme director Prof Dr Toh Teck Hock.