Hello, do you enjoy going to the oceans, river, lake or even swimming pool?, Would you like to hear

a story about a boy who loves the oceans and pools, but he had a very terrifying experience on one

particular day of his year end vacation. During the year end, he just finished his third grade primary

education, so his parents decided to enjoy some family time and strengthen their bonds as family.

They decided to go on a trip for a week on a particular resort on a particular island.

The boy was thrilled, he was eager to go to the pool to have a swim, the boy who don’t know how

to swim and always spent his time on kiddie’s pool and the shores of ocean supervised by his

parents, sneaks out of their room and goes to the pool.

The boy goes to the pool. The pool was divided into two, the kiddie’s pool and the adult’s pool

which is steeper on one side. The boy chooses to go to the adult’s pool as he has convinced himself

that a 9 years old like him is an adult so he cannot go to the kiddie’s pool anymore which is by now is

filled with 2 to 5 years old.

The boy jumped to the adult’s pool, suddenly, he realized that his feet can’t touched the bottom,

he began to panic. He was sinking and floating, he gasped for air, his life flashes before his eyes, he

stretched his hand as far as he could and he kicked his feet in the water. He tried to called for help

but his voice can’t leave his throat, he was terrified his chest began to feel like being crushed, his

lungs feels like it’s going to burst, he can only see darkness as his consciousness fade away... .(silence

and build suspense).

The story I have told you is a true story, fortunately, the boy survived (show the slide with Zul’s

face) and he is now actively participate in aquatic activities such as kayaking and surfing. Well, he

may survived the incident but there are many others who isn’t as lucky as him,(show the family slide)

what if you or your child, sister or brothers were next?, if this happens whom or what will save

them? .

Well, let me tell you what will save them, its knowledge of practice and theories of swimming.

Today I will enlighten you on an issue that is taken lightly, and that is government should fund

swimming lessons. We need a change in the education system and we must have swimming lessons

in schools or Malaysians children’s right to swim is denied!. (Flooded schools slide).

Do you know that statistic of drowning rates in Malaysia is alarming, almost every day especially on

year end, there are always people drowning?Based on research conducted by The Alliance for Safe

Children & UNICEF, it is estimated that as many as 350 00 children drown in Asia every year, nearly

1000 every day. (Explain stats slide) Well, this is no surprise, according to the survey that I have

recently release, more than 80 percent of the audience today never take any swimming classes and

most of you or your family have drowned before. Do you want you or your family contributes to the

death rates?. This issue need to be properly addressed and the government should change the

education structure by funding and providing swimming classes for students as early in primary

education. This is just the tip of the iceberg, (iceberg slide) we can see the plan is effective in long run

and can be seen from countries that implement swimming course in their education system such as

Japan and America. (Show the school swimming pool slide).

Some of you might say that you could just send your kid to the places that gives swimming lessons,

but do you know how much is it 2 classes a month cost? It can range till RM 300, this means that not

all Malaysians can afford to send their child to take swimming lessons. How about people with 2

children would have to spend about RM 600 per month for two swimming classes. This is why

government should fund swimming lessons in schools education system.

From the survey I also received feedback that he or she wants to learn how to swim but his/her

parents are always busy with their work and can’t send him/her to swimming classes that are being

held at the local public swimming pool. Since he/she doesn’t have transport, he/she can’t go and

take swimming classes and still can’t swim until today. This is the problem with modern parents

which are always as busy as a bee and can’t send their children to the swimming center for

swimming lessons.

I know what you’re thinking, swimming is not important because it’s not a daily activities and such,

but can you enjoy yourself on activities such as kayaking, surfing, boating, fishing on a boat and

whatnot when you can’t swim properly?, do you know that Malaysia is a famous tourism spot

because of its sandy white beaches, crystal clear river such as Pulau Pangkor, Pulau Sipadan and

Langkawi. Believe me when I say that one day you will be visiting these places probably on vacation

from work or maybe for honeymoon and can you still enjoy yourself while not being able to

swim?.(Swimming kids slide)

Most people think swimming is a part of leisure and that’s all to it and not worth to be teach in

schools, it is because they do not realized that swimming also gives benefits to the swimmers such as

increases the cardiovascular and muscular strength, increases your metabolism which helps you to

reduce calories, decrease body fat, build and maintain lean muscle tissues and so on. Well you might

say that we have PJK lessons at school but there’s also things that can only be done when swimming

lessons such as controlling the heat of water where if the water is cold it can be rejuvenating and

refreshing and in warmer water can promote healing of injuries, relax muscle and stimulate blood

circulation.

Looks like we are running out of time, my goal today is to convince all of you that we need a

change in the education system and gather much knowledge so that we can take precautionary

measures to reduce the incident of drowning and as a substitute for a better way to maintain health

and as a bonus to educate others on swimming importance.

I hope that you will extend the knowledge gained today and that in time, my ideas can be adopted

in schools.

Thank you.

NOW we’ll begin Q & A sessions.