MFD publishes 25,000 sign language books

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Federation of the Deaf (MFD) have published 25,000 sign language books to be distributed to over 3,000 students with hearing disabilities.
Deputy Education Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan said the books will serve as a support mechanism for hearing impaired students.
Commending MFD's proactive initiative in publishing the books, he said this will also encourage other students to learn sign language to communicate with their fellow pupils who need the aid.
"The most important part is for the families with members who have hearing loss problems, to learn sign language.
"This way the communication and learning process will take place in homes as well," he said during the launch today.
MFD president Mohamad Sazali Shaari said that it is a sad reality that many students, with hearing disability are unable to proceed further in their studies beyond secondary level due to the lack of facilities to aid their learning.
"That was the factor that led MFD to publish these books.
"For our community, the sign language is our mother tongue or native language, all other language including Bahasa Malaysia comes second.
"This is because only after we learn the sign language can we learn any other language," he said in his speech at the launch of the books.
Mohamad Sazali said all those with hearing disability want to be understood and accepted and with the sign language books it will not be impossible.