PETALING JAYA: Malaysian law graduate James Low Hong Ping, who was diagnosed with a rare genetic muscle-wasting disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), had a painful start in life.
When he was five, his parents would take him for acupuncture sessions thrice a week and he cried each time he went.
“I had 20 needles each at the back and front of my body. I’d hope that it would rain heavily so that I could skip going,” said Low, 27, who lived in Ampang, Selangor.
Low said that his parents were sad, frustrated and felt hopeless then and deeply worried about his future. They looked for ways to improve his condition.
After five years, his parents stopped the therapy.
Armed with determination, Low battled all odds and over time, became an excellent scholar.
He did his Bachelor of Laws at Universiti Malaya (September 2011 to June 2015) and was called to the Malaysian Bar in September.
Low was awarded the National University of Singapore (NUS) Graduate Scholarship for Asean nationals and completed his Master of Laws in International and Comparative Law (August 2016 to May 2017) at NUS.
He will attend his graduation on July 8.
Since a tender age, his father, Low Eng Eow, 61, a contractor, and his mother, Cheong Yee Yee, 61, a housewife and carer, had to carry him around as he could not walk.
Low said he did not use an electric wheelchair because he was unable to control it.
“Except for working on the laptop using a mouse and dictation software, all of my daily routines are aided by my parents and carer,” he said.
He also used his right little finger to tap his smartphone and tablet for WhatsApp or SMS, and voice messages on his phone.
Low said he had to cope with regressing ability to handwrite. He also had to fight fatigue and physical tiredness while doing homework and revision.
He used to be able to use both hands but towards the end of primary school, the muscle strength of his left hand weakened and he had to rely solely on his right hand.
“In secondary school, my writing speed slowly reduced while the amount of writing increased,” said Low who had studied at SK Taman Maluri, SMK Seri Bintang Utara, and for Form 6 at St John’s Institution, all in Kuala Lumpur.
His older sister, Suk May, now 30, used to help him type his assignments while he dictated to her until he discovered at age 15 an on-screen keyboard with a free Windows application. This allowed him to use a mouse to click on the keyboard.
During his second-year law examinations at Universiti Malaya, he could not click the letters quick enough. So, a lecturer introduced him to dictation software.
Low said he planned to look for “paid work” and is contemplating whether to venture into legal practice or pursue his PhD in law.
“I’m exploring opportunities which will allow me to gain experience in areas where I’m passionate about: Constitutional Law and advocacy of social issues through writing,” said Low who also loves watching football and is a Manchester United fan.
He said he will also serve in the Malaysian Bar Council Constitutional Law Committee and assist in WeCareJourney, an NGO that champions care and support for families with SMA and disabilities.
Low attributed the secret of his success to “God’s grace, the love of my family, the guidance of my teachers and help from my friends,” besides his passion, patience and perseverance.
His advice to others with disabilities is to have “faith, hope and love”.
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