← Back to list

People with autism just want to feel accepted

Apr 02, 2019

Image: Instagram/@adamsautismfamily

About 9 thousand children are born with autism every year in Malaysia.

In conjunction with World Autism Awareness Day, we spoke to Michael John Carley, the founder of Grasp, the world’s largest organisation for those on the autism spectrum.

Image: Michael John Carley

Michael, who has Asperger Syndrome Disorder, was only diagnosed at 36, together with his then 4-year-old son.

He told us his son had all his teachers and family members that understood him.

As for himself, Michael says his harder experiences gave him a confidence heading into adulthood.

He says people with autism just want to feel accepted, adding that acceptance is more important than focusing on finding a so-called cure.

With regards to challenges at the workplace, Michael says he still does faces those situations.

He told us that people sometimes take his bluntness as a sign of rudeness adding that it will always be a difficult when one's behavioural intentions are not really understood by everyone.

Separately, Michael praised the police's new SOP on how to deal with cases involving autistic individuals.

The SOP was revised following the arrest of an autistic teenager in Selangor last September, which caused an uproar online.

Separately, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry will look at collaborating with other ministries on how to further support those on the autism spectrum.

The Ministry adds that it is believed that one in 68 individuals here are on the spectrum.