Blind leading the sighted on 3km PJ solidarity walk
IMAGINE walking in the dark or while blindfolded in an unfamiliar space.
While the thought of doing so is daunting, it did not deter some 1,500 people from turning up at Laman MBPJ, Petaling Jaya in Selangor, to take on the unknown.
They were participants of the 15th Blind Leading the Blind Annual Charity Walk, a collaboration between Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Lions Club Petaling Jaya (LCPJ), in support of Malaysian Association for the Blind and University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).
Some 150 visually impaired people also participated in the 3km walk which took in several roads around MBPJ headquarters in PJ New Town.
Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon said the event aimed to increase public awareness of the importance of eye care and to help the public understand the challenges faced by the visually impaired.
LCPJ programme manager Mak Sew Fong said the annual event started in 2003 but went on hiatus during the Covid-19 pandemic, and was making its comeback this year.
A blindfolded Mohamad Zahri being led during the walk in Petaling Jaya.
Since its inception, the event had raised RM1mil for eye care-related efforts, especially for the poor, he said.
'The event has helped some 20,000 people receive free eye screenings and around 2,000 people have benefitted from free cataract surgery.
'This year, we collaborated with UMMC to provide eye screening for B40 families and children living in remote areas,' Mak added.
Petaling Jaya deputy mayor Aznan Hassan said he first tried the walk over 10 years ago and it was a memorable experience.
'After taking just 20 steps, I found it challenging to continue.
'The same route I took with my eyes open became unfamiliar when my eyes were shut,' Aznan said, adding that more people should experience the walk for themselves.
During the event that ran for five hours, people took turns to be the blindfolded walkers and the guides.
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