CHEERING FOR

THE CHAMPS
How you can make a difference for Special Olympics participants
Hello!
 We’re Mojo Films
As a production house specialising in content creation, we're excited to be
working with U Mobile, one of the main sponsors for the Special Olympics.

Our mission is to create powerful and meaningful content that connects

people and drives positive change in communities through engagement.

We believe that impactful storytelling should be about stories that are real and
which the audience can relate to.
 Special Olympics vs Paralympics
People often assume that the Special Olympics and Paralympics are the same, but they are
different in some important ways.

The Special Olympics is specifically for people with intellectual disabilities, while the Paralympics is
for athletes with a range of physical disabilities.

The Special Olympics focuses on more than just sports — it also provides a platform for athletes
with intellectual disabilities to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level while building
confidence, promoting inclusion, and fostering a sense of community.

It's a celebration of the participants’ abilities and a testament to their resilience and determination.
 “Let me win.
But if I cannot win,
let me be brave in the attempt.”
Special Olympics athletes oath
 Special Olympics
World Berlin Games 2023
22 Malaysian athletes have been selected to compete at Special Olympics World Games Berlin
in June 2023. This team comprises of 16 intellectual disabilities athletes and 6 unified partners.

They will compete in Swimming, Bocce, Badminton, Athletics, Table Tennis and Bowling.
Team Malaysia
Clement Ooi
Athletics
Clement has been in the Special Olympics Program for more than 15 years. He explored and
enjoyed different training programs like badminton, bowling, swimming, table tennis, and
athletics. He won 1 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze during SO Selangor’s State games, and then
won 2 gold medals during the National Games in Melaka a year before.

From the age of four, his talent for art started to bloom. He started scribbling alphabets and
graffiti, evincing a wonderful flair for drawing and an amazing photographic memory. He would
later attend a art school to develop his talent. Now, having sold artworks locally and
internationally, he has won many art awards, and Sukses Karisma OKU (Kesenian)

2012 was a significant achievement in Clement’s art journey. One of his artworks (strongly
inspired by a beautiful pot of lotus flowers in bloom at a friend’s home that he drew there and
then) had been selected for the United Voice Touch n Go card project.
Nur Asliza
Athletics
Asliza was a child who was noticeably different from the start. Struggling through
her childhood all the way up to primary school, Asliza was finally diagnosed with
a learning disability during Primary 6. While her parents were relieved at the
discovery, they were worried for her future as she was a slow learner from a
young age and had failed to keep up with her peers and studies.

After consulting specialists and educators, Asliza was transferred to a special

needs school. At this new environment, her struggles started taking a turn for the
better. She developed various skills in cooking and baking. More surprisingly,
Asliza also developed a love for sports.

Now with the right encouragement and support, Asliza has friends and enjoys
her school life. Her parents have also noticed a significant positive change in her
behaviour after being active in sports.
Joanna Julius
Athletics
Joanna was a healthy child up to her kindergarten years. During primary
School, she was unable to read, write or do numbers. As a result, she
became increasingly isolated, quiet and unhappy in school, and was
bullied. Her mother noticed these changes but could not figure out why.

This all changed when Joanna had a seizure attack in school. She was
taken to the hospital and was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum
and exhibiting signs of ADHD, while identified as a slow learner.

So, she was transferred to a special needs school in Kota Kinabalu. Then at
9 years old, Joanna joined Special Olympics Sabah, showcasing her
athletic ability in Athletics, Bocce, and Bowling. This impressed her peers
and teachers, who nicknamed her “Puteri”, the Princess of sports.

Through sports training, Joanna found her joy again, making her mother
very proud and happy.
 Ameer
Athletics
Ameer was a child with an insatiable curiosity for everything and anything about the world. His
father noticed how different Ameer was from the other children and his older brother, but could
not identify why due a lack of knowledge of special needs children.

When Ameer was in primary school, he began to isolate himself from his peers as he was bullied
and labelled as “stupid” and “lazy” by them while being unable to keep up with his academics.
However, his father refused to give up, seeking help from specialists where Ameer was finally
diagnosed with a learning disability and dyslexia.

Transferred to a special needs school at 13, Ameer would gain confidence to make friends and
excel in his studies, while his father helped developed ways to help him cope with his disability.

Known for his athletic abilities in the school’s track and field team, Ameer’s hard work earned him a
gold medal in the 100m race during the National Games. It was his proudest achievement.
Beverly Chin
Bowling

Beverly had shown early signs that she was different. She was crying more than
usual and her mum would not know what to do. When Beverly was 2, she was
diagnosed with short sightedness and later, dyslexia.

Beverly became isolated and could not keep up with her school peers, so started
homeschooling when she was in primary school. However, she didn’t make
friends and her academic development was still slow. Interactions with strangers
would prove dangerous for Beverly as her limited cognitive capacity did not
allow her to understand other’s intentions.

After stopping homeschooling, Beverly would learn some life skills to make her
more independent at a training centre. Her participation in the World Games and
Special Olympic programs would develop her personal growth in trying to strive
for improvement, and had also helped her discover an interest in coaching.
Khairul
Bowling

From a young age, Khairul was hyperactive to a point where he needed a toddler leash
to control his movement in public. He also began to exhibit aggressive behaviour by
biting people, which worried his parents more. His father had to make some difficult
choices, like quitting his job, to care for his son.

Being quite non-verbal, Khairul also struggled to communicate his needs and feelings.
He would have bad tantrums, leaving him crying and banging his head on the floor. By
age 6, he could only manage a few simple words while his speech remained unclear.
Attending therapy sessions, his progress was slow but his parents refused to give up.

His mother, in particular, noticed Khairul’s innate talent for bowling after he won his
first Gold at the Super Autism Games. Discovering and enrolling him in Special
Olympics Selangor, Khairul would also vastly improve as bowling became an outlet for
his energy and even helped strengthened the bonds of his family.
 Mohd. Zul
Bowling

Zul experienced a lot of hardships during his primary school years. Unable to read and write, he struggled to
interact with his peers and was slow in his studies. He was bullied, making him more isolated.

Lacking the awareness, his mother was only truly aware of Zul’s special needs when it caught the attention of his
secondary school principal. As he was tested to be unable to read or write, Zul was transferred to a special needs
school. With the right support, he progressed and improved, even developing a passion for traditional dance.

After joining the Special Olympics at 13, he discovered his love for sports, especially bowling. He participated in
the 2011 Athens Special Olympics, where he played football and helped Team Malaysia win a bronze medal.
Despite an injury in 2016 and a heart surgery in 2017, his dedication and hard work would earn him a right to
represent Team Malaysia at the Berlin Special Olympics World Games 2023.
Nur Syakila
Badminton

Having a flat nose and shorter height compared to most teenagers, Syakila began to realise just
how much she was different from her peers,. She would be teased by her classmates because
of that, which resulted in her mother always offering words of encouragement and love.

After going through plastic surgery to fix her nose, Syakila gained more confidence and due to
the experiences she endured in her younger years, she is a more resilient and independent
woman. Being able to function independently with minimal supervision, Syakila now attends a
normal school with classes for special needs students.

Despite missing the National Games because of her surgery, her badminton coaches had
insisted on taking her to Berlin after recognising just how determined she was during the
badminton selection trials.
Agnes Tiong
Table Tennis
Agnes is the youngest athlete in the Special Olympics team heading to Berlin. She was
diagnosed with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome when she was 2 months old, a rare
bone marrow failure characterised with low white blood cell count and poor growth.
She also had hearing impairments.

Her mother is her lifeline, recognising symptoms and her mood swings due to her
inability to communicate her needs, and knowing when to take her to the hospital for
her Neupogen injection to stimulate her white blood cell production.

Despite her medical conditions and intellectual disabilities, she continues in sports
training and lives a healthy life, continuing proudly as a Special Olympics athlete. While
she struggles, she continually strives to overcome her difficulties. Her hard work earned
her the right to represent Malaysia in the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023.
Edwin Peng
Table Tennis

Edwin was a slow learner, always coming in last in class during his primary
years. His mom was worried about how he would cope in secondary school,
and upon a friend’s recommendation, signed him up for a special needs school.

Discovering the Special Olympics when he was 13, she enrolled him in the
district program. He tried different sports like football, athletics, basketball, and
even swimming. Teachers also found Edwin very helpful when they need to
physically move heavy things.

Edwin is able to cope with being away from home and even helped to look
after the younger athletes.

Despite facing challenges in his academic life, Edwin has shown that he can
achieve great things through his perseverance and positive attitude.
Nurul Syafinaz
Bocce
It was actually her sister-in-law, who questioned why Nurul was not doing well in her
school exams. Soon, Nurul was diagnosed with learning disabilities by a qualified doctor.
Her sister-in-law, who herself had a younger sister with special needs, advised her
mother to place Nurul in a special needs school.

Turning 21 this year, she looks way younger than her age, like a teenager. And like any
other teenager, she takes pride in her appearance, even wearing cosmetic contact
lenses. It may come as no surprise, that she has ambitions to be a beautician.

Her timid nature is overshadowed by her fierce and determined nature when it comes to
Bocce, the sport she trained for. This single-minded attitude which won her two golds
and one bronze during the National Games last year.
With the right encouragement & support,
the impossible can be possible.
 Here’s how you
can help make a difference
 Join the Movement!
We are organising a large gathering at a stadium where people of all ages can cheer and show
their support to the athletes. This uplifting moment will be lmed and presented to the athletes
in person, as a surprise before the Berlin World Games 2023.

We invite you to join us to spread awareness and generate support for the Special Olympics athletes
by participating in preparing our surprise gift for the athletes. Here’s how!

(1) Gather as many people as you can from your organisation and community. There is no age limit
or maximum capacity. Anyone is welcomed to cheer and show their support for the athletes.
The more the merrier!

(2) Come cheer with us at the stadium!

fi
The Power of Community Support
The Special Olympics is not just about the competition.
It is also a movement of empowerment for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

With the right support and platform, these individuals have great potential. However, support
and awareness for them, particularly in the context of the Special Olympics, are lacking.

By gathering in large numbers, we can magnify the support these athletes deserve.

It not only boosts their con dence and motivation but also sends a powerful message of
acceptance and inclusion. It shows them that they are valued members of society and that
their accomplishments are recognized and celebrated.
fi
Your voice and cheer for these remarkable athletes
can create a more inclusive world.
 Contact Us:
Phone: 012-783 9549 (Nicole) or 012-5202712 (Cindy)
Email: casting.mojofilmskl@gmail.com
Thank you!