The Star
Thursday, August 20, 1998

A Run to Cherish for the Disabled Pong

IPOH: Paraplegic Pong Seow Chin was overwhelmed but held on tightly to the Queen's baton as she led the relay through several streets in the city yesterday.

She said it was a historic and meaningful event, which she would cherish for as long as she lived.

Pong, 33, led the relay to the shouts of "Malaysia Boleh" by 10 other disabled people from the Sultan Idris Shah Foundation for the Disabled. They also ran with her.

Pong, who was conferred the Pingat Jasa Kebaktian by the Sultan of Perak this year, said she found it difficult to sleep a few nights before the relay because she was simply too excited.

Earlier, the baton was carried from Dataran Ipoh by Datuk Bandar Datuk Talaat Husain who handed it to Peak State Secretary Datuk Abdul Habib Mansur. Today, Perak Mentri Besar Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib will hand the baton to Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.