JOHOR BARU: A golf resort in the state capital has ensured that five differently-abled persons are gainfully employed at its organisation.
The workers in its employment would have found it difficult to get jobs elsewhere.
General manager of Ponderosa Golf & Country Resort, Tan Kai Yang said he valued characteristics of his employees other than just their individual skill when deciding to hire them.
"An employee has to be a team player. He or she must be able to contribute to the overall effort in running the club," said Tan, when commenting on the traits he sought in an employee.
He played down imputation that PGCR management were motivated by humanitarian instincts more than any other consideration in placing two differently-abled persons, one elderly single mother, and an octogenarian counselor on its payroll.
"All of them can contribute to the overall team effort and that is the main reason for their presence on our staff," he explained.
Taking in a casual glance at Mohd. Sallhe Anuar, 53, who has been working in the housekeeping department for the past 10 years, one can doubt the veracity of Tan's comments.
The person with disability (OKU) moves slowly and goes about his work like he has all the time.
He was doing odd jobs where he resided at a disabled home in the state capital, when PGCR officials approached and offered him work at the club.
Despite being a slow learner, he was able to master tasks the club offered him.
"I'm so grateful to PGCR for offering me this job as I'm was able to be useful and I can earn some money," he said with a huge smile.
His colleague, Lim Guat Hong, and elderly lady of 67, has been working with PGCR for almost two years.
"I joined PGCR in 2018 and was made a supervisor for the housekeeping department," she said.
Lim expressed her gratitude to PGCR for offering her a job at an age when her peers would all have retired.
Her lot in life is hard because she is a single mother who has to raise her children alone and give them an education.
"I will carry on working here until I'm unable to work anymore," she said.
Another employee, Mohd Nazmi Zainal Abidin, 31, lost his job in Singapore during the Covid-19 lockdown from March 18.
After being jobless for some time, he was offered a job as a machine operator at PGCR.
Nazmi, who is married and has two children, said: "Even though the pay is low I find joy in working here as my job needs a special skill," he said with a palpable sense of delight.
As a machine operator, his job is to maintain the fairways and the greens at the golf course.
"I really appreciate PGCR for offering me a job despite the economic downturn," he said.
Esa Iskandar Idris, 38, who is also differently abled, joined PGCR in 1999 as a golf operations attendant.
Esa, whose wife is also differently abled and works at the Johor Area Rehabilitation Organisation (JARO), said despite his situation he is delighted to work in PGCR.
I have many friends and find joy working here as we are considered one big family," he said, with a smile that conveyed the truth of his situation.
Esa, who formerly was resident at the Taman Sinar Harapan Home for the Disabled, said after coming to PGCR he was able to learn a trade and meet many people.
PGCR's list of the happily fulfilled includes octogenarian S. Tharmaratnam, a staff counselor who once worked in Wisma Putra.
"People my age would have happily retired and stay at home but I feel that I can still contribute to society," he said.
The retired officer said no other establishment or organisation would want to keep an employee at this age.
He was grateful to PGCR for allowing him work to keep busy at his age.
"I will quit when I find myself unable to walk or carry out my duties."
There is no better medicine for the human being than being gainfully employed.