SMARTER Brunei is struggling to continue on with its services, as their financial woes continue to pile up, and they are in dire need of support as there is a strong possibility that the centre may end up having to be closed.
The President of SMARTER, Malai Hj Abdullah bin Hj Malai Othman, said this as he spoke at the SMARTER Hari Raya and Teachers Day celebration.
"I am thankful that we can all be here to celebrate this event," he said. "Unfortunately, for me, this is not a happy occasion, but a sad occasion, because I have fought like mad to establish this association, not for me, but to help families of individuals with autism, and I expect families to reciprocate."
"My hard work, I am sorry to say, is going down the drain. As of today the money in the bank is only $6,960. Our overhead is $24,000. I don't know how to pay our salary for the staff. We have 15 members who have not paid a total of $19,000."
"We have members who use our overtime services, who should pay our staff directly, but have not. I can't go robbing the bank, I can't go climbing hills, I can't go running. I'm already old. I'm a 58 year old man. I'm not young. So please, because if I have to close down, those 15 families will be the first ones to be expelled."
"Now think of your children. Because of these 15 families, the whole society is in disarray. Luckily today, HSBC contributed $3,910 dollars, plus $6,000. That makes around $10,000. I still have to find $14,000."
"For November and December I hope Yayasan contribute the $50,000 they do every year. If they don't, I have to say to the staff, can we owe you some money first? But they have to live! They have families to feed, debts to pay."
The SMARTER President, who has selflessly worked and continued to do all he can for the centre, reaping no financial benefit of his own, urged the families to help, to pay what they owed, as the centre that they all rely on is in serious need of monetary support.
"Please help me, help me find money. Nobody is helping us, but us. If not the families, who else? I know we all have our own debts, but please make SMARTER a priority, please."
"Help us make the shop sell more items as well. Contribute more of your time. Here I see members are just sending their children to the centre. No commitment whatsoever. I have been involved in this since 2001. I am tired."
"You can see my son is getting really big. Last night we slept at 3am. Three days ago he slept at 7am, and at the same time, I am still working. I still have to get money for my family as well, so I understand that everyone has problems."
"But, if you don't make SMARTER a priority, if you don't pay your dues, then I am sorry, but I will have to close the centre down. Please make up your mind, because this centre will also be vacated soon. The Ministry of Health will be taking it over, and we will have no place to go."
Malai Hj Abdullah also said that Smarter was a well-planned organisation with minimum money but with international standards, recognised by the Autism Programme Quality Indicator along with Unicef, European Council, Commonwealth Foundation and various other international organisations.
He expressed hope that more would be able to support them to allow them to carry on their cause for individuals suffering from autism in the Sultanate.
Smarter was established September 9, 2001 to educate and to help develop children suffering from autism in order for them to grow-up independent and be a productive member of the society.
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