MUKAH – A workshop on Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia (BIM), titled “The Silent World and The Speaking Hands 2025”, was held by the Mukah Division Social Welfare Office to promote human values, empathy, and improved communication with the deaf community.
Royston Valentine, the Tellian State Assemblyman, asserted during the workshop’s closing session that sign language is “not just hand movements, but a symbol of recognition of the dignity and human rights of People with Hearing Disabilities (PWDs).” He added:
“When we learn sign language, we actually listen with our hearts. This sign language workshop … can help us communicate better and understand the needs of the hearing impaired community.”
Valentine emphasised that in everyday life, there are situations, particularly in official or emergency contexts, when swift communication with people with hearing disabilities becomes necessary.
He praised the workshop for engaging participants from multiple levels of society, not merely government bodies, to foster a more inclusive community.
Prior to his remarks, Dariel Thiong Yiew Seng, Mukah Division Social Welfare Officer, described the event as a collaborative initiative between physiotherapists and industrial training students from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).
Its objectives were to introduce participants to the fundamentals of BIM and to heighten awareness about the importance of creating an environment that supports and respects the deaf community.
Thiong Yiew Seng stated:
“Sign language is a language of unity that teaches us to respect and recognize the Deaf community as an equal part of society.”
The workshop attracted representatives from various government agencies and community groups, contributing to efforts to build a more disabled-friendly society.
Among the attendees were AO Josy Demei, Mukah Division Resident’s representative; Peleadzman Ahip, Mukah District Officer; and DSP Muhamad Rizal Alias, Mukah District Police Chief.