by BY M. KRISHNAMOORTHY
If being speech and hearing impaired was bad enough for Raymond Tan, 29, the prejudices he faced in the job market were worse.
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| Raymond Tan (centre) a hearing & speech impaired student at the Malaysian Institute of Baking demonstrating how a dough is made before baking. On his left is MIB CEO and student (right) Ally |
But through sheer grit, he learnt information technology and graphics after leaving vocational school at 18.
For three years, Tan worked hard to gain a Diploma in Computer Graphics and Business English.
When knocking on several doors to get a job produced no results, he spent another two years taking up other basic computing courses.
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Raymond Tan (centre) a hearing & speech impaired student at the Malaysian Institute of Baking demonstrating how a dough is made before baking. On his left is MIB CEO and student (right) Ally
However, it was only when he enrolled at the Malaysian Institute of Baking (MIB) that he found his forte and his first job.
He passed the two-month basic baking course last year and for the next six months was employed as a part-time worker.
On Saturday, the institute’s CEO, Don Yong, offered him the post of assistant trainer.
Tan responded by recommending another young man with similar disabilities for the baking course.
Yong said this showed his caring attitude in wanting to see another disabled person trained and employed.
Yong said Tan’s passion for baking and his sincerity and creativity changed his perception of disabled people.
“Instead of looking at his disability, I decided to give him the opportunity to learn because I noticed he was skilful in baking.
“Whenever a task is given, he would be the first person to volunteer. The other students love him for he is talented and innovative.
“In addition, he gets along well with everyone, including the staff who feel that Tan is a caring person,” said Yong.
Elly Nur Arafah, 19, Tan’s classmate at the baking class, said: “He is humble, friendly, hardworking and helpful.
“Communication has never been a problem because he always understands what I am trying to tell him.
“It is wrong for us to look down on special people like him,” she added.
Tan’s mother, Hui Foong Lien, said he was born normal at the Universiti Hospital (now known as the University Malaya Medical Centre).
Three days after his birth, he developed jaundice and the illness, it was believed, led him to become both speech and hearing impaired.
The MIB offers full-time and part-time courses in baking.
Enquiries can be made by calling 03-7956 9011. -THE STAR-