KUALA LUMPUR: A modern Sabah farmer, Shahrizal Denci, was shocked to learn that two people with disabilities (PwDs) that he hired to manage his farm were packed with additional prowess.
The twin brothers, Aidil Afiffat and Aidil Asyraff Juakim, 27, first demonstrated their talent in vehicle construction by building an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to help out with Shahrizal's farm duties.
"When they realised how difficult it was to commute between hills, they created their self-made ATV from scratch since the ones we bought were heavy and impractical," said the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) representative who contested in the Kota Marudu constituency in the 15th General Election.
Given the twins' history as deaf athletes who represented Malaysia in the SEA Deaf Games last year, they had also taught their employer sign language to communicate easier.
"Sometimes when I am at a loss from their speed, they tell me to write it down on paper or WhatsApp them. Every time we meet, I will learn a new sign," Shahrizal said.
He added that the sprinters work flexible hours so they would finish up their work early and train during the evening.
He said he learned that if loyal staff are empowered, they will become an added value to the team.
"At first I was sceptical of hiring PwD staff for our farm, but turns out, they are hard-working, talented, and are para sports national athletes. They blow my mind," he said.
