My family and I recently enjoyed the amazing London Musical Show presented by Great British Circus at Desa Park City, Plaza Arkadia. When I was a kid, I used to watch it on television, and I recall my parents taking me and my siblings there before, but it is extremely rare to have the opportunity to explore the circus circuit. When I see this kind of performance, it brings back certain memorable memories. It is a great opportunity to see a circus performance in person. 

Now is the time for my niece to enjoy the Great British Circus's magical performance. Overall, I felt honoured to be able to see such an incredible show. Please take a peek at my photos below.

If you're interested, you can buy tickets at the Ticket Office or online listed as below;-

The website is https://www.greatbritishcircus.com

The prices for adults and children are shown below, but the special price applies to three different groups.

• Children under 3 years old -Free Entry
• Senior Citizens(61 and above) - Children Ticket Prices
• Persons with Disabilities(OKU) - Free Entry(This can be purchased at the ticket counter only)

London Musical Show is currently showing at Desa Park City, Plaza Arkadia until January 5th, 2025. 

Good News for Penangites! Great British Circus presents London Musical Show will be held at Auto City, Penang from 11th January to 16th February 2025. 

Do not miss this golden opportunity and bring your beloved family and children to create the best memories at the circus show.

Starbucks Signing Store Permas City Partners with Deaf NGOs

Good News for PWD/OKU Community! Persons with Disabilities (PWD/OKU) cardholders will receive a 15% discount on food and beverages starting December 18, 2024. Thus, you can use your card at any Starbucks outlet, at any time.Enjoy the food and beverages offered  by Starbucks!

Good News! Johor Bharu folks! Do not miss the opportunity to explore the newest and fourth Signing Store (Deaf store)! Starbucks Malaysia proudly announces the opening of its fourth Signing Store (Deaf store) at Permas City, Johor, marking another milestone in its journey towards promoting inclusivity and community empowerment. This new addition builds on the success of its Signing Store predecessors in Kuala Lumpur (first in the world), Penang, and Sarawak (first in Borneo). Officially opening its doors on 17 December 2024, the Starbucks Signing Store Permas City aims to redefine the café experience in Johor by fostering inclusivity, celebrating the talents of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, and a welcoming space for all. To commemorate the festivities, Starbucks Malaysia hosted a store opening event attended by Society Deaf Johor (SDJO), Johor Deaf Sports Association and its athletes, as well as members of the media.

Starbucks has long been dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the communities it serves, guided by a vision that places humanity at the heart of its operations. Over the past 26 years in Malaysia, the brand has championed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), exemplified by its innovative Signing Store concept established in 2016. Today, Starbucks Malaysia continues to lead as the only coffee chain in the country with Signing Stores dedicated to uplifting and supporting the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. 

Beginning with just one Deaf partner assisting at one of their stores, Starbucks Malaysia has grown significantly, employing over 20 Deaf partners (employees), nurturing over 11 coffee masters and four advanced coffee masters, and upskilling five Deaf partners into supervisory roles. Most recently, with the opening of the Permas City Signing Store, the company proudly promoted its long-time Deaf partner, Mohd Akmal, to the role of store supervisor.

Mohd Akmal, Shift Manager of Starbucks Signing Permas City, Johor

"When I joined Starbucks as a barista when the world’s first Signing Store was established at Bangsar Village II in 2016, I never thought I’d one day be leading a team. Starbucks has supported me with training, guidance, and encouragement, helping me grow both professionally and personally. Becoming a supervisor and being part of the opening team at the fourth Signing Store in Malaysia located in Permas City is a dream come true, and I’m so thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to develop and show that the Deaf community can achieve great things," said Mohd Akmal.

Artwork by Wong Jia Yaw, Malaysian Deaf Artist

As part of its efforts to uplift this community, Starbucks actively collaborates with Deaf artists to commission unique art pieces that celebrate their talents and stories. For this store, the spotlight shines on Wong Jia Yaw, a Malaysian Deaf artist whose painting, The Colors of Joy celebrates Deaf culture and its journey, mirrored in the growth of coffee cherries from green to vibrant red. Each stage symbolises resilience, growth, and the uniqueness of Deaf culture. At the heart of the artwork are handshapes spelling “J.O.Y.” in sign language, reflecting connection, creativity, and the cultural pride of Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia (BIM), the native language of Malaysia's Deaf community. Vibrant colors and handshapes come together to envision a Deaf-inclusive world, celebrating diversity and enriching society through the contributions of the community. 

Signing Store Sharing

[HERO] (L-R) Zakiah Hanim, Director of Marketing & Loyalty; Chan Kok Sheng, President Johor Sport Deaf Association (JSDeaf); Ravisangar A_L Kannan, Vice President of Society Deaf of Johor (SDJO); Rina Siew

Special Double Delights Await!

As part of Starbucks Malaysia’s 26th Anniversary, ‘Persons With Disabilities/Orang Kurang Upaya’ (PWD/OKU) cardholders will enjoy a complimentary grande-sized handcrafted Starbucks beverage at all stores nationwide on 17 December 2024 and all customers will enjoy a 26% off on all items. To further uplift and empower the PWD/OKU community, a 15% discount will be given out to all PWD/OKU cardholders from 18 December 2024 onwards.

Celebrate the opening of Starbucks Signing Store Permas City with exclusive promotions from 17 to 21 December 2024. The first 40 visitors each day who sign ‘Starbucks’ in Malaysia sign language (Bahasa Insyarat Malaysia) will be treated to a free Tall Americano or Freshly Brewed Coffee. A ‘Buy One Free One’ deal on beverages will be available daily from 12PM to 3PM, with even more exciting activities to be unveiled soon. Additionally, starting 17 December 2024, customers who spend a minimum of RM50 in a single receipt will receive a FREE coaster, while stocks last. All promotions are exclusively available at the Starbucks Signing Store Permas City and subject to terms and conditions.

The opening promises to be an inclusive and interactive experience, offering a variety of engaging features. Fun games and activities will also be available, creating memorable moments for all customers. Adding a special touch to the celebration, Signing Store merchandise and limited-edition Permas City Signing Store Starbucks Cards will also be available, offering customers keepsakes to commemorate this meaningful occasion.

You can get the latest updates from the official Facebook as below:-

https://www.facebook.com/StarbucksMalaysia

This time, my good friend and I had the opportunity to attend the "Mental Illness" workshop hosted by RC Deaf Missions Malaysia on September 29, 2024. It is an honor to welcome the speaker, Vishnu Priya Ravi Chandran, a Counselling Psychologist. She discussed the symptoms of mental illness and where to seek assistance. We don't realize if some of us have unexpected mental illness symptoms. As a result, it is essential to gain a better understanding of mental illness so that we can assist our family members or friends who have suffered from it. So this workshop is a serious topic to focus on because many cases of depression, anxiety, and other issues have occurred around us. If not managed properly, it has the potential to lead to commit suicide.

Mental illnesses are health conditions in which a person experiences changes in emotion, thinking, or behaviour, or a combination of these conditions. As a result, it may indicate that someone is distressed and/or having difficulty functioning in social, professional, or family activities. If you notice the health condition, it indicates that this person suffers from a mental illness and should seek help before the illness worsens. 

She explained that there are four different categories in the continuum model of mental health, as shown below.

Optimal health and well-being without symptoms of mental illness. For example, if a person does not have a diagnosed mental illness, they have good mental health and well-being.

Optimal health and well-being with symptoms of mental illness. For example, consider a person who has been diagnosed with a mental illness but can manage it through therapy, medication, or mindfulness. As a result, this person's mental health improves as he or she adheres to the doctor's instructions and takes medication on time.

Poor mental health and well-being with no signs of mental illness. For example, a person may not have a diagnosed mental illness but is coping poorly and has had negative experiences with their mental health and well-being. 

Poor mental health and well-being with symptoms of a mental illness. For example, if a person is diagnosed with depression and begins a new medication, they may continue to experience sadness, low energy, and difficulty sleeping while waiting for the medication to take effect. It is serious mental illness. 

Three factors affect mental health: biological, psychological, and social. Each of these factors has a different cause that can have a significant impact on mental health. You can refer to the slide in the photo I took below. 

Thus, it is essential to understand how to detect and prevent mental illnesses. We faced stress and challenges daily. So, we need to know how to cope with our daily lives and just have good habits. For example, if a person has a problem with bad habits and it can lead to a serious mental health illness, such as a person who frequently gambles and drinks alcohol and is in debt, it can lead him/her to commit suicide due to financial issues. 

Anyway, if you have a friend or family member starts to have a warning of mental illness, you should give them support and become a listener. Even if the situation is getting worse, it should be recommended to seek counselors/psychologists.  

Overall, there is much more to be discussed on this topic, but the workshop was brief, and we learned about the importance of understanding mental illness issues. It is a serious topic to focus on because some real-life incidents have occurred around us. Once again, thank you so much to the speaker, Vishnu Priya Ravi Chandran for this informative and beneficial workshop. I hope to see more related to this workshop in the future.

To learn more about RC Deaf Missions Malaysia, please visit the social media platforms listed below.

Website : https://www.rcdeafmissionsmalaysia.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/rcdeafmissionsmalaysia

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/rcdeafmissions

Aww!! I attended a workshop titled "Advocate For DeafBlind Community" and "Inclusivity In Empowering Community Interpreters and The Deaf Communities In Kenya and Nigeria" on September 28, 2024. It is organized by RC Deaf Missions Malaysia (RCDM), which offers different workshop topics every weekend in September to commemorate International Sign Language Day. It is located at MAHSA Avenue, Kuala Lumpur. Anyway, I missed a few workshops in the previous few weekends due to a vacation and family obligations. However, this did not deter me from attending the last workshop, which was held on September 28, 2024. As a result, my good friend and I spent the entire day at the workshop.

It was a pleasure to welcome a Deaf Speaker from Korea, Park Min Ho, who is a Deafblind leader and Korean Sign Language Instructor in the morning. He shared his experiences, perspectives, and contributions to the Deafblind community in Korea. There is little awareness of the Deafblind community. That is why he shared it to raise awareness. It would be helpful to learn more about the Deafblind Community, as Malaysia lacks awareness due to the small percentage of Deafblind people. It is not comparable to Korea, which may have approximately 1000 deafblind people. However, Park Min Ho stated that the percentage of the Deafblind population in Korea cannot be confirmed or guaranteed.

Furthermore, he explains the distinction between Deaf-Blind and Blind-Deaf. As he stated, it is a significant difference. Normally, people assume that these are the same terms, but they are not. In addition, he stated that there are different schools for the Deaf, Blind, Mental, and Physical, but there is no school for the Deafblind in Korea. He shared his experience because he had a Deaf friend who later became blind. From that situation, he didn't know how to help his friend or those who were in the same situation at the time, so he started learning more about deafblind issues, as there is a lack of awareness about the deafblind community in Korea. There aren't many interpreters who are willing to assist and accompany deafblind people. Since then, he has realized that it is essential to learn about the deafblind community because they require more attention and assistance due to their difficult situation and challenges than the Deaf community. 

Furthermore, he stated that there are two methods of communicating with deafblind people: Tentacle Sign Language and Tentacle Braille Language. He even showed a video about it during his PowerPoint presentation. According to him, when using Tentacle Sign Language, an interpreter would sign while holding hands because they still know how to use sign language. As we all know, braille is a printing system for the blind in which each letter is represented as a raised pattern that can be read by touching it with the fingers. The best example is using tentacle braille language to point at the back body of a deafblind person.

Even how to guide a Deafblind person through walking and communicating. He stated that an interpreter must commit their time and contribution to accompanying a deafblind person due to the heavy-duty and responsibility that comes with being present 24 hours a day. A Deafblind can't do anything because of their difficult situation in which they can't see and hear simultaneously. I believe many of us are aware of Helen Keller, a famous deafblind woman in history.

It is a very rare case of Deafbuild due to the small percentage of the Deafblind group; however, the purpose of this workshop is to raise awareness about the deafblind community, as there are several Deafblind who require assistance and companionship. Even there is a lack of interpreters who are willing to take on the heavy responsibility. Thus, this workshop has truly touched us, particularly a friend of mine, Jason who became deafblind and attended this workshop to learn more about the Deafblind community. Everyone was surprised and moved by his true story about how he unexpectedly became Deafblind. 

However, he was delighted to see us and grateful to Calysta for being his BIM interpreter during the workshop. He gained a better understanding of the deafblind community. Overall, it is a very good exposure for us to learn more and raise awareness about the Deafblind community. 

Even Jason is delighted to see me after a few years. The last time we met was before the COVID-19 era. My junior, Edward, and Jason introduced each other, and Jason talked about his experiences and life.

In the afternoon, three speakers, Aliyu Mai (Deaf Speaker), Bernard Oduor Otieno (Hearing Speaker), and Emmanuel Munyasi (Deaf Speaker), shared their experiences with empowering interpreters and encouraging Deaf people to contribute to the Deaf Community in their country. 

Honestly, they faced difficult challenges due to a lack of interpreters and awareness about the Deaf community. Kenya and Nigeria have a high rate of poverty. As a result, they encountered numerous challenges in their efforts to improve the Dcommunity. 

Because of their country's poor education and environment, the majority of deaf people have little interest in improving the Deaf community. However, there are a small number of deaf people, such as Aliyu Mai, who have education and studied at Gallaudet University. Aliyu talked about a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-sponsored activity carried out by Gallaudet University. It aims to improve education, employment, and empowerment for Deaf and Deafblind people, allowing more deaf people to receive a better education and improving the Deaf community.

Bernard Oduor Otieno and Emmanuel Munyasi shared their experience and the challenges that they faced in their lives. There are a few challenges, such as a shortage and limited availability of qualified sign language interpreters in various services such as hospitals, courts, and educational institutions. Not only that but there aren't many interpreters who are willing to give their time and dedication to helping and improving the Deaf community. As a result, raising awareness about the importance of empowering more interpreters and investing in training programs to increase the number of qualified sign language interpreters, as well as improving education, employment, and empowerment for the Deaf, is critical to ensuring a better future for the Deaf community.

Aside from that, the Deaf community faced limited opportunities for sports participation, as deaf people were unable to participate in sports due to a lack of inclusive programs and trained coaches. They hope to see more inclusive sports programs for deaf athletes, as well as training for coaches and organisers in deaf-friendly sports techniques and communication methods. 

Finally, I would like to thank you so much to the Deaf speaker, Park Min Ho, who shared about his experience with the deafblind community, and Aliyu Mai (Deaf Speaker), Bernard Oduor Otieno (Hearing Speaker), and Emmanuel Munyasi (Deaf Speaker) for highlighting the importance of empowering interpreters and the Deaf community. Thank you so much RC Deaf Missions Malaysia, who hosted the special workshop. 

If you are interested in learning more about RC Deaf Missions Malaysia, please visit their social media platforms listed below.

Website : https://www.rcdeafmissionsmalaysia.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/rcdeafmissionsmalaysia

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/rcdeafmissions

Don't forget about my upcoming post. 

Please stay tuned.