The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.128)

2020 • 11 26 eature times during the interview. “Hello, Epic. Ada parcel? OK, saya turun sekarang.” He immediately went downstairs, picked up the package and hurried back to the office using the escalator. He communicates in Malay fluently. He said, “I learned Malay in the boarding school. My classmates were all Malays.” Back then, he could not foresee how useful Malay would be in his life. The circumstances forced him to overcome the difficulties on his own, which made him independent and willing to learn. Thanks to technology, Siong Tieng can now operate a computer for the blind. Sometimes, when he cannot catch a ride with his colleagues, he would use his smartphone to book a car to and from work. Is that all he knows? Sok Pen revealed, “He even memorized the phone numbers of the municipal government units. He was the one who called to report when the streetlights didn’t work.” If the stereotypical impression of VIPs is their “relying on others”, then perhaps it should be changed. After working for several years, Siong Tieng decided to pursue a diploma in computer studies. “I took the Malaysian Higher School Certificate. Although my results were not good enough to get into a public university, I want to keep trying.” With the popularization of the Internet, cyberspace has infiltrated into every aspect of life. While hardware facilities emphasize on barrier-free spaces, the online world also takes into account the needs of PWDs for “web accessibility”. To protect the rights of PWDs to have online information access, the Taiwanese government, in accordance with its laws, requires government agencies and schools to make their websites accessible to PWDs. VIPs have one more obstacle than those with hearing impairment. In response to the request of VIPs, international audio-visual media platforms such as Netflix added audio description service, which provides narration that describes what is happening on screen so that the VIPs can understand the content. Thus, acquiring more computer skills will be beneficial for Siong Tieng. Siong Tieng is currently studying for a diploma in computer studies at a college in Cheras. It is a challenge for him to get With guidance and companionship from fellow volunteers, Tey Siong Tieng (middle) managed to perform in a sign language rendition at the 2017 Year-end Blessing Ceremony. [Photograph by Leong Chian Yee]