Steven Yong (right) learnt sign-language to communicate with and train the deaf and mute members of the Jing Ying Wushu and Dragon Lion Dance Troupe. 

      This was reward enough for the deaf-mute members of the Jing Ying Wushu and Dragon Lion Dance Troupe who had performed without relying on music to guide them.
      "We are happy and proud. All our hard work paid off," troupe member Sen King Wong said through a sign-language interpreter.
       The occasion was the CIMB Foundation Chinese New Year gathering here on Saturday, which was attended by CIMB group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Nazir Razak and his wife Datin Seri Azlina Aziz.
       Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled, YMCA Kuala Lumpur Pusat Majudiri 'Y' for the Deaf and Malaysian Braille Society representatives were also present.

       Sen's coach, Steven Yong, said it took six months to train the group because he had problems communicating with them.
       "It usually takes three months to train performers but they were different. I almost gave up because we couldn't understand each other but they were hardworking. And, after I learnt sign language it was not so bad."
        Nazir said the CIMB foundation, through its community link programme, had started more than 180 projects in the past two years on a RM6.3 million budget, which it was now hoping to increase because of the bleak economic outlook.
       CIMB had allocated some RM100 million to the foundation at its inception for up to 2010.
       The foundation has spent more than RM50,000 to train the lion dance troupe and to provide its members with costumes and equipment.
       Another RM70,000 will be spent to train the wheelchair-bound in broadcasting.
       Beautiful Gate Foundation executive director Sia Siew Chin said eight people from the foundation would undergo training programmes at the Voice Academy.
      "We are hoping to run our own Internet radio for the disabled. I'm grateful that the CIMB Foundation has pro-mised to help us," Sia said.
      Sixteen people from the foundation have received training and five of them run their own programme on Chinese radio station Ai FM.