SCOTLAND PROPOSES MALAYSIA ESTABLISH COOPERATION ON DYSLEXIA

KUANTAN (Malaysia), April 2 (Bernama) -- Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS)
ambassador Sir Jackie Stewart has proposed the Malaysian Government establish a
cooperation with Scotland in helping children with learning disability or
dyslexia.

The three-time Formula One world champion, who is himself dyslexic, said
he would personally help the Malaysian Government to get assistance from the
relevant ministries and agencies in his country.

"I really hope those at the high level could come and see how we handle
dyslexic condition, including preparing the teachers to detect students with
disability at the early age," he said after officiating a new dyslexic children
school here Thursday.

Also present were RBS Country Executive of Malaysia Andrew Sill and
Malaysian
Dyslexia Association (MDA) president Sariah Amirin.

Stewart said, it was estimated that 300,000 children in Malaysia were born
with
dyslexia, a learning disorder that manifests itself as a difficulty with
reading, spelling and in some cases, mathematics.

Hence, he said, he shared his thoughts on the matter with Deputy Prime
Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, about six months ago,
and received positive feedback.

Stewart said he would convey his opinion to Prime Minister Najib
Tun Razak during dinner tonight for further action.

He said it was important to detect learning disability at an early age as it
would ensure that children with such problem could be given special attention
and assistance.

"Dyslexic children with no special attention would end up in crime, drug and
alcohol problem to escape their inferiority.

"I only realised that I was dyslexic at the age of 41, after my two children
were confirmed to have similar condition...but when I was young, a teacher told
me that the reason that I could not read and write was because I was stupid," he
said.

As a dyslexic, Stewart said he understood the challenges of the condition
and strongly believed that early diagnosis and assistance were the best ways to
help a dyslexic child grow and develop like normal children.

-- BERNAMA