(Borneo Post; October 14, 2011)

KUCHING: Disabilities should not be the reason for individuals not to achieve greatness in their lives, claimed Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS), Chief Executive Officer, Dato Teo Tien Hiong.

Teo said greatness does not necessarily be measured in material terms as it could also be viewed in various other terms.

In order to achieve greatness, Teo advised those with disabilities to try their level best in utilising the advancement of technology plays a very important role in ensuring the success of individuals and companies in the world today.

"No matter in what form we are in, I think today we are united in at least one common reason which is to achieve greatness, not accepting our disabilities as a disadvantage but trying our level best with the assistance from the community to achieve greatness.

"Besides that, we should also be looking for other people to come forward to be part of this great cause, that of helping to create greatness for individuals who have disabilities," Teo said in his opening speech at the Web Accessibility Workshop 2011 held at Inti College Sarawak here yesterday.

Meanwhile, Teo pointed out that information and communication technology (ICT) should be used as an enabler to provide the essential service of bridging the urban-rural digital divide.

"With the Rural ICT Guided Home-based Technopreneur (RiGHT) programme, it would enable the rural youth to stand on their own feet and remain in the community to provide essential service or bridging the urban-rural digital divide," he said.

On another note, Teo stated that SAINS is committed in helping various entities to achieve greater facilitation and productivity in ICT.

"We started by doing this for the Sarawak government 20 years ago, which resulted in a well deserved recognition that Sarawak is among the very top ICT utilising states in Malaysia," he highlighted.

The workshop for yesterday on Web Accessibility covered the topics of Screen Reader - how they assist the blind, Screen Reader commands and navigation, simple logical ideas that have to be included into web designs, navigating the Internet with a Screen Reader, navigating in accessible sites and highlighting the necessary points to be included to ensure accessibility.

As for today, the topics that will be covered are what the web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG), implementing WCAG, re-examining web sites and a checklist for web acceesibility.

The two day workshop was jointly organised by the State government, SAINS, National Council for the Blind Malaysia and Sarawak Society for the Blind, Kuching.

Among those present during the opening ceremony of the workshop were the Director of ICT Unit of the Chief Minister's Department, William Patrick Nyigor, President of Sarawak Society for the Blind, Dato Dr. Hsiung Kwo Yen, Chief Executive Officer and Principal of Inti College Sarawak, Dr. William Wong and Assistant Executive Director of National Council for the Blind Malaysia, Moses Choo.