PARA SUKMA: PHD STUDENT SITI SAFURA PROVES RESILIENCE ON AND OFF THE CHESSBOARD

By Farah Najihah Zuraimi

KUCHING, Sept 27 (Bernama) — “We must accept the reality of being born as a person with disabilities (PwD), but don’t treat us as second-class,” said chess player Siti Safura Jaapar, a PhD student who brought home three medals at the 2024 Para Malaysia Games (Para SUKMA) in Sarawak.

At 41-years-old, Siti Safura, representing Negeri Sembilan, has been passionate about chess since she was six, and expressed deep gratitude for the path her life has taken, both in her personal and professional spheres.

Despite living with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic condition that has confined her to a wheelchair since childhood, Siti Safura has always dared to dream big. She once lectured at Universiti Teknologi Mara’s  (UiTM) Faculty of Pharmacy in Puncak Alam from 2010 to 2014.

“I started playing chess at six, and by secondary school, I was competing seriously, even representing my district. However, after completing my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), I paused my chess career for 12 years to focus on my studies.

“Things changed when I met a family who asked me to motivate their child, also a person with disabilities. At the same time, there was a talent search for the Paralympics, and I was scouted by the Melaka team for Para SUKMA,” she shared with Bernama at Hotel Raia, the venue for the chess competition.

The third of four siblings, Siti Safura said while chess isn’t as popular in Malaysia as other sports like football, it still requires tremendous dedication and can be expensive due to limited sponsorship opportunities.

Reflecting on her journey, she shared that attending a mainstream school rather than a Special Education Integration Programme (PPKI) gave her the confidence to believe in herself and pursue her dreams, saying: “It’s proof that where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Siti Safura clinched silver in the women’s individual standard P1 (physical impairment) category, another silver in the women’s team standard P1 and a bronze in the women’s team rapid P1.

This year’s edition marked her fourth appearance at the biennial games, following her participation in Melaka (2012), Perak (2018) and Kuala Lumpur (2022).

— BERNAMA