IPOH: Some 700 people, including children with autism and other disabilities, participated in the Program Naungan Kasih Sentuhan Autisme Perak 2025 fun walk flagged off by Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim at Taman DR Seenivasagam here on Sept 27.
The children were accompanied by their parents in the 600-metre walk organised by the Pertubuhan Wanita Prihatin Perak with the strategic partnership of the Perak Education Department and Yayasan Perak.
The participants hailed from the Kinta Utara, Kinta Selatan, Kuala Kangsar and Perak Tengah districts.
Tuanku Zara joined in the VIP walk where she stopped at three points to observe autistic children exercising various skills such as cup setting, lego formation and weaving.
Talks and a forum on disabilities and autism were also held, together with exhibition booths and competitions.
This event helped to meet the target of setting up three multisensory rooms under the Education Department, costing between RM30,000 and RM60,000 each, in the Kinta district.
These were sponsored by corporate firms.
The three dedicated rooms are a Snoezelen Multisensory Room at SK Sungai Rokam, and integrated multisensory rooms at SK Coronation Park and SK Sri Sentosa.
In her speech, organising chairperson Norzita Rabaai hoped that the rooms would be operational by the end of the year.
“These rooms shall provide conducive environments to develop sensory faculties, emotions and learning, so that the children would be brought up in safe, peaceful and loving surroundings.
“The rooms are designed to regulate the childrens’ emotions, improve their focus, develop their potential and build their abilities,“ she added.
Meanwhile Perak Education Department director Safuan Raba’ai said there is need for at least one multisensory room in every district.
