'No need to be harsh': Public buses feature artwork by students with intellectual disabilities to fight stigma

Source: CNA

SINGAPORE: When bus driver Hue Sze Wei found out that service 173 that he operates will have a bus featuring artwork by students with intellectual disabilities, the 41-year-old was happy to hop on board with the initiative.

He is no stranger to the invasive stares and rude remarks that members of public sometimes have for those with intellectual disabilities, as he has a son who attended a kindergarten for autistic children.

Once, his son had a meltdown on public transport when he was a toddler.

"A passenger came over to us and scolded my child, and I had to nicely tell him that he's just a child, there's no need to be so harsh."

His son, now eight, attends a mainstream primary school.

"As a bus driver, I understand how parents with kids with such disabilities on public transport feel," he said in Chinese.

Mr Hue was speaking at an event at Sembawang Bus Interchange on Wednesday (Apr 24) where two buses with artwork by students with intellectual and developmental disabilities were launched. The aim is to educate the public and fight the stigma on their conditions.

The two buses will be operated by Tower Transit, and are deployed on Mr Hue's service 173, which serves MINDS Hub @ YMCA-MINDS Bukit Batok, and service 859, which serves Rainbow Centre Admiral Hill School.

About 15 students from both schools were present on Wednesday to witness for the first time their artwork printed on the two buses, which began operating on Wednesday.

Some gestured excitedly at the artwork, which also featured quick reminders to the public on what to do when a child has a meltdown.

"Give care by not staring at me and giving me personal space" read one message.