Date: 27th January 2013
Time: 9am - 12pm
Venue: National Leprosy Control Centre (NLCC) , Sungai Buloh
It is nearly a norm for the city
folks to wake up a little late on Sunday morning and spends the rest of the day
with family members. On January 27th, 2013, Sunday, about nine in
the morning, there were more than a hundred of people gathered at the new
multi-purpose hall of the National Leprosy Control Centre [NLCC] in Sungai
Buloh; they are all Lions and Leos. The very first time nearly forty Lions
Clubs from District 308 B1 and B2 work together to have a joint programme in
conjunction with the World Leprosy Day [always the last Sunday of January]; a
great effort by the committee led by the Organising Chairperson, Lion Chu Tham
Sang of LC of Taman Tun.
Food and some daily use items
were among the goodies that distributed to each and every inmate in the NLCC,
Chinese New Year song and Gangnam style dance were presented by Lions, Leos and
young children of the Lions to cheer the aged and lonely inmates.
This programme is meaningful.
Besides showing our care to the unfortunate inmates, we are reminding the
people that NLCC has been a ‘safe paradise’ to so many leprosy patients and
then ex leprosy patients. From keeping them away from the outside world, to
providing a safe heaven that enable them to lead a new life; where they earn a
decent living by selling their labour and agricultural products.
There were too many sad stories
about the inmates; they were like us lived a normal life until being diagnosed
leprosy. They were sent to the centre by force. Many of them were disowned by
the families. They were sent in as young as twelve years old. There were
students who excelled in academic performance had their dream dashed as they
became leprosy patient.
Of the total 230ha leprosy
settlement that set up in 1930, 78ha has been gazetted as national heritage in
April 2011. It was originally named as Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement. It then
changed to Sungai Buloh Leprosarium in 1965. In 1969, it has then become the
National Leprosy Control Centre [NLCC]. It was a self-contained settlement; it
had its own school, police force, places of worship, library, theatre, and even
currency.
Currency note used in the settlement (Shoba Mano, thestar.com 2007)
NLCC is one of the greatest
humane programme in the world. It has put Malaysia in world health care
history. At its peak [1960s], there were about 2000 inmates. Today there are
about 200 fully recovered inmates. They have spent the most of their lives in
NLCC, they find no other better place other than NLCC. A ninety-year old inmate
Mdm Lee Saw Cheng said that, “Being 77 years here, I have gone through three
governments, the British, the Japanese and the current one. During the Japanese
Occupation, as the Japanese soldiers were scared of being infected, we were all
saved; we were free from all the reported cruelties. My family members visit me
occasionally and brought me out; I have seen the outside world. This is my
place d. I have lived too long …”
This settlement of the
unfortunate patients is getting popular as a nurseries centre rather than NLCC.
From a place of stigma to a nursery with various colourful flowers and plants;
it is always crowded during weekend and festive season. It is really a Valley
of Hope!
The Lions’ visit has crowded the
NLCC with care and love. My interaction with the inmates was rather
enlightening. It makes me put in effort to find out more and of course to share
with my family, especially my two teens.
While writing I contacted the
co-author of the book “Valley of Hope”, Joyce Wong, who had grown up in the
settlement as a child of leprosy patients. I would meet her in a very near
future for further chat.
