By Nastura Nasir, PKK
Pix Muhammad Izwan Azman

BANGI, 2 July 2012 – The National University of Malaysia is among the first institutions of higher learning in the country to register an association for its handicapped students, a Club For Special Students.

Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah launched the association in the campus here end of last week. There are now 34 such students mostly pursuing their first degrees but with a number doing their masters’ and a few reading for their PhDs.

Dato’ Saifuddin called on managements of universities, lecturers and students to assist in empowering the handicapped students to enable them to stand on their own.

It was important that the handicapped students be assisted to be able to think and act on their own to succeed in their endeavours to improve their education.

Institutions of higher learning can assist the handicapped by providing them with the facilities to enable them to undertake their studies themselves. This would be more meaningful as the students themselves know their ability and limitations.

He said that the handicapped themselves do not want to be specially treated and that was why the Ministry encourages them to pursue higher education to the universities, colleges or polytechnics by only providing monetary assistance to them.

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Students and Alumni Affairs), Prof Ir Dr Othman A Karim said the club can be the link between the students in airing their problems directly to the management.

UKM’s administration is always open to engage with its students including the handicapped to imbue in them the need to be close to society while also ensuring that it is friendly to the handicapped, he said.