SIBU, April 1: The number of children with autism is increasing here, leaving many of them on the waiting list to enroll for special education.
Sibu Autistic Association president, David Ngu, when speaking at a press conference today, said in 2020 alone, more than 100 children here were diagnosed with autism by Lau King Howe Memorial Clinic.
Owing to this, he said, the association is seeking for public donations for it to construct a new RM3.7 million building which will be sited next to the carpark of Agape Centre here.
With the project, he added, more children with autism could be enrolled.
“Our childcare centre can take in a maximum of 70 children. Due to limited space, a number of children are on our waiting list. If 50 per cent of the over 100 kids who were newly diagnosed with autism are to come to us, there is no place for them,” he said.
The association’s childcare centre has 17 well-trained teachers to run special education classes for the children.
On its small care centre, he said the association was formed by a group of parents to look into the plight of their autistic children in 2001 as they have nowhere to access special education since the country education system does not suit them.
“As there was no place for these parents to send their autistic children for special education, they set up the association for their children to learn in a special way. But over time, the number of children is increasing.
“We are now in dire need of a building to accommodate them,” said Ngu whose 6-year-old son has autism.
The association’s advisory chairman-cum-chairman of the building committee, Thomas Ling in inviting the public to donate, said if “100,000 people can donate RM10 each person, then we will have RM1 million.”
“This project belongs to the Sibu community. It is not for us but to help autistic children who have nowhere to go,” he said.
Donations can be made to the association’s OCBC Bank account number 1811-0045-28. Receipts will be issued for tax exemption.
Meanwhile Ngu said they will be celebrating the annual World Autism Awareness Campaign tomorrow.
“The campaign was endorsed by the United Nations and it is held every April 2 to create awareness among the public on autism,” he said.
As gatherings are not allowed during this Covid-1 pandemic period, they will organise a talk on autism through livestream on social media. — DayakDaily
