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The Malacca Young Lawyers Sub-Committee represented by Desmond Ho, Zairin, Tangaraj and Damian Yeo, together with the Chair for the Liaison, Charity and Welfare Sub-Committee of the Malacca Bar, Nizam Bashir, visited the Pusat Kanak-kanak Terencat Akal Bahagia on June 8. The Sub-Committees nominated this Home to be adopted for the Charity Nite on June 29 at the Seafarer, Klebang, Melaka.

We reached the Home at about 6.15pm and were greeted by a young boy aged 11 who not only had down syndrome but suffered from a hole in his heart. We were told by the care giver, Nancy that the doctor gave him about three years to live due to his medical condition. However, thanks to the love and attention given to him at the Home, he has now proven the doctor wrong as he had outlived his estimated lifespan for more than 7 years. He roams freely in his toy car around the grounds of the home as the possibility of him succumbing to his ailment still remains and the Home wishes to keep him happy.

The Home was founded by a husband and wife team, Roy and Nancy Collar with the help of 10 other care givers. Having its humble beginnings in July 2000 in a small single storey bungalow, the Home now houses 35 inmates ranging from ages 4 to 32. A great number of the inmates are visually impaired and suffer from epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Some are bed ridden and mentally retarded. There are two inmates who would have to be fed through tubes. Four inmates have down syndrome and only Nor Laili, a 17 year-old girl understood us even though she has low IQ and is physically handicapped.

The Home receives all children without setting any conditions nor does the Home receive any monthly income at all. The children were brought to the Home with no obligation to pay for their upkeep.

We were also told that most of the children were abandoned by their family members. Some were children of rape victims and some were children from incestuous relationships. It is sad to note that the practice of abandoning children is still rampant in Malaysia and these are real hard facts to swallow. Our emotions moved, seeing the children in their physical condition helpless and needing all the love and support they could get. We observed that the children are well taken care of regardless of their race and religion. The monthly expenses of the Home comes to about RM21,753.00 a month on the average. The monthly budget increased over the years as prices of essentials such as food and household items have gone up over the years. Fortunately, financial assistance comes from private individuals and temples around Malacca, Seremban and Muar.

True Legacy of the Malaysian Bar – West Coast Charity Nite on 29 June 2007

Hafiz 8 yrs old suffers from cerebral palsy and epilepsy, Shareena 19 yrs old suffers from cerebral palsy, Shee Kok Hong (Ah Bee) (top pix) 7 yrs old is a quadriplegic and suffers from cerebral palsy, two other boys who prefer to lie on the floor rather than have the comfort of the bed.

As part of our advocacy work in speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves like the precious inmates at the Home, we wish to urge you to join us for our Charity Night on June 29 at the Seafarer, Klebang, Melaka as all proceeds will go towards the purchase of necessities for the inmates. Together, we can help to make a difference. Kindly contact Desmond Ho at 06-2315607 or Damian Yeo at 06-2268837 for further details on how you can contribute to the Home.

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