Sign language isn’t a skill that is commonly picked up by many, so coming across one who’s able to communicate via sign language is indeed a rare sight.
An officer from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has recently become an online sensation after a clip of him speaking to a deaf driver using sign language went viral.
JPJ officer uses sign language to communicate with deaf driver
Originally posted by the officer himself on his TikTok account, the clip showed the officer making several gestures with his hand while conversing with a deaf driver by the side of the road.
The clip was later shared by Cikgu Tengku Faris on Facebook, where it subsequently went viral with nearly 500,000 views.
In the caption, the OP wrote: ” Good job, abang JPJ! Not everyone knows sign language. A priceless asset for being able to help the community.”
Netizens were also full of praise for the JPJ officer in the comment section.
‘An example of a model officer. Well done, sir, for serving road users. God bless you.’
‘I hope this officer gets a token of appreciation from JPJ for this skill of his. Thank you, kind person.’
Meanwhile, one suggested that sign language be taught as a school subject in Malaysia.
Went viral back in 2022
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time the officer, whose name is Zulhairi Zamri, went viral for his ability to use sign language.
Back in 2022, he appeared in the headlines after he made news for communicating with a deaf man at a JPJ customer service counter in Kuala Lumpur via sign language, reported Harian Metro.
He later told the Malay daily that he learnt sign language as a way to communicate with a close friend who was deaf.
“I picked up the skill through a book given by my friend and it didn’t take long for other friends of mine, and even my friend’s older brother, to learn sign language for ease in communication.
“Initially, it was difficult to learn and we used to write on paper to communicate…now that we know sign language, it’s much easier and more fun to chat with [my friend] Apis.
“Some think it’s not necessary to learn sign language if they don’t have an OKU family member, but for me, it’s a valuable skill that allows us to help the OKU community, especially during emergencies,” he explained.
Watch the clip here:
@khaizamri_ Kita bantu mana yang boleh 👍🏻
♬ original sound – MAN KINABALU
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