Mothers with special children touched by treat in S'ban hotel
SINGLE mother S. Gayithiri was lost for words when she was honoured at a belated Mothers Day celebration for her role in raising her six-year-old twin girls born with special needs.
The 46-year-old veterinary assistant and nine other women who raised special needs children were treated to a sumptuous meal and celebrated at a hotel in Seremban, Negri Sembilan.
The event was organised by the Malaysian Public Service Society (MPSS).
Gayithiri said it was the first time she had celebrated Mothers Day.
'I felt truly humbled. It goes to show that there are people out there who care and appreciate mothers who raise their special needs children despite the hardships and daily challenges,' she said.
Gayithiri's twins both have autism. The older twin, Sri Theva Sena, also suffers from hemiplegia, which refers to paralysis that affects one side of the body.
Both girls were born premature at 33 weeks.
'I'm happy to have met other mothers with special needs children.
'We are able to exchange notes on so many things,' she said, adding that she also got invaluable information on schools for children with special needs.
Aznah Mohd Jani, 61, who attended the event with her 35-year-old daughter Nurul Atiqah Md Fauzi, also thanked MPSS for holding the event.
'Nurul Atiqah, the second of my three children, has Down Syndrome with hearing, vision and heart-related ailments since birth.
'Although the hospital is like a second home as she has many appointments, we are happy to be able to be here to celebrate this very special day,' said Aznah, a former teacher at a school for children with special needs.
MPSS chairman Andrew Raju said the event themed 'Mothers' Loving Touch' was to celebrate mothers for their sacrifices in raising their special children.
'Raising a child with special needs can be emotionally challenging, not to mention the other challenges such as managing the financial costs and getting the proper schools or centres for them to learn basic things.
'We are here today not only to celebrate Mothers Day, but also to recognise and appreciate the great contributions of such mothers in raising special children with love,' he said.
Andrew said these mothers were not only the primary caregivers but also teachers, nurses, protectors and true friends to their special children.
Since parents are always concerned how their special children would cope after their passing, he said the authorities should consider building a special home that could be both a safehouse and development centre for these children.
'The home can be a collaboration between NGOs, therapists, psychologists and the community to create a sustainable ecosystem of support.
'With fundings from the state and collaborations between the local authorities and community organisations, this initiative, I believe, can be realised,' said Andrew, while thanking donors for making the project a success.
MPSS women's wing bureau chief Anita Timothy urged the medical authorities to help parents with special needs children by providing them with more frequent follow-up appointments compared to between four and six months currently.
'This is important to ensure their development is not hampered.
'It is also hoped that private medical centres can help such parents by reducing the treatment cost, as insurance companies do not generally cover these children,' she said.
She added that teachers should also be given extensive training to cope with the children's emotional dispositions.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
16-07-2025
- Daily Express
Keningau village is gazetted
Published on: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 16, 2025 By: Marutin Ansiung Text Size: Andrew presenting a copy of the gazettement letter to Junior (right). KENINGAU: The decades-long wait for over 200 residents of Kampung Ria Atas near here has finally come to an end, with the official gazettement of their village on June 25. The Certificate of Gazettement was handed over at the Bingkor Community Development Leader Unit (UPPM) office, where Acting Village Chairman Andrew Badsut presented a copy of the gazettement letter to State Assistant Minister of Works and Bingkor Assemblyman, Datuk Robert Tawik @ Nordin, represented by Bingkor Community Development Leader (PPM), Junior Fred Vincent Marukau. Advertisement Andrew said the gazettement is 'the greatest gift for the entire community,' made possible through the continued struggle and strong cooperation between the residents and the authorities. 'We are deeply grateful and thankful to all parties who never gave up in helping us fight for the official status of our village. This is a people's victory born from the spirit of unity,' he said, while expressing appreciation to the leaders and agencies who played a key role in the process. He said that this was not just about having things in black and white, but a symbol that the voices of rural communities had been heard and valued. 'Now, our younger generation has a more secure future,' he said. Meanwhile, Robert said that gazetting a village is not merely an administrative procedure, but a recognition of the rights, dignity and identity of rural communities. 'As long as I am given the mandate, I will ensure that no village is left behind in the wave of development. Kampung Ria Atas is now more than just a name, it stands as a symbol of the strength, spirit and perseverance of a people who never gave up,' he said. With this official status, Kampung Ria Atas will now have greater access to basic amenities, development allocations and government programmes specific to gazetted villages. 'Congratulations to all the people of Kampung Ria Atas. This is the result of your own united efforts for a better future,' Robert said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
20-06-2025
- The Star
Meet the 'Python Huntress', who has more than 600 dead pythons under her belt
Siewe is a professional hunter of the invasive Burmese python in Florida. — Photos: Reuters Amy Siewe was a successful real estate agent – but her life changed after she captured her first python in Florida's Everglades in the United States. 'I just had this fascination with snakes. So when I learned that there was a python problem here in Florida... I went on a hunt, I caught a 2.75m python, and that was it. I was hooked!' she said. Within two months she had sold her business in Indiana and moved to Florida to become a python hunter. Now, with more than 600 dead pythons under her belt, she is known as the 'Python Huntress' – one of a handful of women among hundreds of men hunting the invasive Burmese python in Florida's Everglades wetland ecosystem. 'This python is about 3m long,' she says as she wrestles a snake she has just captured in the tall grass in the middle of the night. 'It's probably about three years old, and to date it's eaten about 200 of our native animals, including mammals and birds.' The snakeskins are tanned into leather and dyed, then turned into fashion accessories and other goods. Burmese pythons have been spreading through the Everglades National Park since Hurricane Andrew in 1992 destroyed a breeding facility for the pet trade, freeing some 900 snakes. Originally native to South-East Asia, the python can grow up to 5.5m long and has a voracious appetite, consuming the local wildlife, including mammals, birds and even alligators. The Everglades is a unique subtropical ecosystem, with the largest continuous mangrove ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere. It is home to a vast array of unique species, including the endangered Florida panther, the American alligator and the American crocodile. But it provides no natural predators to the Burmese python, allowing the population of the invasive species to balloon. Scientists have noted dramatic declines in raccoons, opossums, bobcats, and rabbits in the region. 'There's an estimated 500,000 pythons out there,' Siewe said. Siewe and her boyfriend Dave Roberts measuring a python they caught in Ochopee, Florida. The pythons, which are hunted by night, cannot legally be transported alive, so they are killed on site after being captured and measured. Once home, Siewe skins the dead snakes, and then has the skins professionally tanned into leather to be made into purses, wallets, watch bands and other goods. It takes an average of 12 hours to catch one. 'So it's not that effective, right,' she admits. 'We're always going to have pythons in Florida. What we're trying to do is figure out how to decrease their numbers. Hunting right now is the most effective tool that we have.' – Reuters
The Star
02-06-2025
- The Star
Mothers with special children touched by treat in S'ban hotel
Andrew (right) and Anita (left) celebrating the mothers with special children. SINGLE mother S. Gayithiri was lost for words when she was honoured at a belated Mothers Day celebration for her role in raising her six-year-old twin girls born with special needs. The 46-year-old veterinary assistant and nine other women who raised special needs children were treated to a sumptuous meal and celebrated at a hotel in Seremban, Negri Sembilan. The event was organised by the Malaysian Public Service Society (MPSS). Gayithiri said it was the first time she had celebrated Mothers Day. 'I felt truly humbled. It goes to show that there are people out there who care and appreciate mothers who raise their special needs children despite the hardships and daily challenges,' she said. Gayithiri's twins both have autism. The older twin, Sri Theva Sena, also suffers from hemiplegia, which refers to paralysis that affects one side of the body. Both girls were born premature at 33 weeks. 'I'm happy to have met other mothers with special needs children. 'We are able to exchange notes on so many things,' she said, adding that she also got invaluable information on schools for children with special needs. Aznah Mohd Jani, 61, who attended the event with her 35-year-old daughter Nurul Atiqah Md Fauzi, also thanked MPSS for holding the event. 'Nurul Atiqah, the second of my three children, has Down Syndrome with hearing, vision and heart-related ailments since birth. 'Although the hospital is like a second home as she has many appointments, we are happy to be able to be here to celebrate this very special day,' said Aznah, a former teacher at a school for children with special needs. MPSS chairman Andrew Raju said the event themed 'Mothers' Loving Touch' was to celebrate mothers for their sacrifices in raising their special children. 'Raising a child with special needs can be emotionally challenging, not to mention the other challenges such as managing the financial costs and getting the proper schools or centres for them to learn basic things. 'We are here today not only to celebrate Mothers Day, but also to recognise and appreciate the great contributions of such mothers in raising special children with love,' he said. Andrew said these mothers were not only the primary caregivers but also teachers, nurses, protectors and true friends to their special children. Since parents are always concerned how their special children would cope after their passing, he said the authorities should consider building a special home that could be both a safehouse and development centre for these children. 'The home can be a collaboration between NGOs, therapists, psychologists and the community to create a sustainable ecosystem of support. 'With fundings from the state and collaborations between the local authorities and community organisations, this initiative, I believe, can be realised,' said Andrew, while thanking donors for making the project a success. MPSS women's wing bureau chief Anita Timothy urged the medical authorities to help parents with special needs children by providing them with more frequent follow-up appointments compared to between four and six months currently. 'This is important to ensure their development is not hampered. 'It is also hoped that private medical centres can help such parents by reducing the treatment cost, as insurance companies do not generally cover these children,' she said. She added that teachers should also be given extensive training to cope with the children's emotional dispositions.
