By Shahfizal Musa
Pix Shahiddan Saidi

Kuala Lumpur, 17 April 2014 – The Sekolah Menengah Pendidikan Khas Setapak (SMPKS), here which enrolls visually impaired children from all over the country has received an optometric clinic courtesy of The National University of Malaysia (UKM) to enable the students to easily get treatment.

Such a clinic has long been the desire of the school but has now become a reality due to the assistance of UKM and the Carl Zeiss Inc. which sponsors the equipment. It was officially opened here today by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Prof Datuk Dr Mazlin Mokhtar.

Prior to the set up of the clinic there, the students had to go to the optometry clinic in the Faculty of Health Sciences UKM at the General Hospital here for treatment and follow ups.

Having an optometry clinic in the school, will make it easier to treat and monitor the visually impaired students. They can also be assured of getting the best treatment that UKM eye specialists can offer and at the earliest possible time.

This is one of the countless efforts of UKM as a guardian of the nation to serve the community.

Prof Mazlin, when launching the clinic said when it comes to technology we always look to the future but we must also look back and document our past successes.

He said we must remember the sacrifices of our predecessors as the past can serve as a guiding light to steer us in the right direction for the future.

He narrated how UKM started following donations given by the ordinary people and humble institutions like schools because many Malaysians then felt the need for the setting up of its own national university aimed at promoting and safeguarding national values.

He said that in everything that we do we must act as if every single thing, time, money and effort being used today is actually what is lent to us by the future generations.

So if something is borrowed it needed to be returned in a good or better condition.

He said since UKM’s Optometry Department is the first in the region it should now start to think of serving beyond the Malaysian borders at least to expand to the ASEAN countries.

Principal of SMKS Encik Jalaluddin bin Yusof, said the school had wanted to set up an optometry clinic for a long time and was thankful that it has now materialised thanks to the efforts of UKM and Carl Zeiss Inc. which sponsors the equipment needed for the clinic.

Present at the launching ceremony ware Head of Optometry & Vision Science Programme of UKM Dr Zainora Mohamed, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Professor Dr Siti Zamratol-Mai Sarah Mukari and industry representatives.