Prince: The Star Metro should Investigate before Publish..

It is frustrating to know that The Star Metro reporter mistaken one of the disabled person as a beggar in KLCC LRT! They remorselessly claim that he is a member of the group of beggar that spoils the image of KLCC!

They should, perhaps, investigate before they pen down what they see, or perhaps, inquired the respective party before they blast out in newspaper!

I wasn’t aware of it until I read the email from the executive director of Beautiful Gate Disabled Centre from PJ, with the link to the particular write up.

This is a bit disturbing as he is someone who earns his living by selling small items in various areas. To The Star Metro, ‘Please clarify the issues!’

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Appeal Email from Beautiful Gate Disabled Center

Dear friends:

Beautiful Gate Foundation For the Disabled is deeply disturbed by the report bearing the title "Beggars Spoiling KLCC's image" published in The Star on 4/1/2007. We are very disappointed over the said report as well as the photo taken on one of our disabled member, Chan Ming Lai, who was wrongly referred in the report as a "beggar" at the KLCC LRT station.

The said disabled member is NOT a beggar as alleged in the report. Instead, he has been earning his own living by selling some small items at various places. In fact, the said report revealed that no proper verification has been made by the author as she wrote : "The man, who appeared to be begging for money..." Obviously, the author, Ho Meng Yen just conveniently presumed Ming Lai was a "beggar" who sought to compete with a busker for "spare change of sympathetic commuters".

The report and the photo depicting Ming Lai as a "beggar" who "spoilt KLCC's image" have been a grave disparagement to his character and have led his name into public odium. Indeed, he is now suffering from emotional distress and has a very low esteem on himself following the report and photo published on 4/1/2007.

Those who know Ming Lai, I hope you can help to make a call or a writing to Star Metro Editor. We need more people to create a bigger pressure for The Star to make a clarification on this matter.

Let us be encouragers to the disabled people in the society.

Thank you.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/1/4/central/16425412&sec=central

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