A VISUALLY impaired Malaysian student from Penang has made the country proud by winning a Special Award in the Adult Crossover Category at the 32nd Visually Impaired Music Festival and the 2nd International Visually Impaired Music Competition held in Taipei, Taiwan.
David Chin Teck Wai, 26, who is currently pursuing studies in Information Technology (IT) and interning at St Nicholas Home, represented Malaysia in the international event organised by the Taipei Visually Impaired Music Education Foundation.
The competition, held on Oct 18, brought together visually impaired musicians from various countries to showcase their musical talents. It was also Chin’s first time travelling abroad.
Chin learned about the competition through a WhatsApp group of the Chinese Cultural Association of the Blind Malaysia (CCABM) and decided to take part after being selected in the local round.
“I thought I should give it a try — after all, if you never try, you’ll never know,” he told Buletin Mutiara in a recent interview.
Accompanied by his mother, Wendy Choo, and girlfriend, Vivian Mun, who also participated in the competition, Chin performed Yoga Lin’s “Want Freedom” (Xiang Zi You) and went on to earn special recognition for his performance.
Chin said his love for music began at a young age, describing himself as a “bathroom singer.”
“As the youngest of four brothers, he grew up listening not to nursery rhymes but to pop songs his brothers enjoyed. The first song he learned in full was “Tong Hua (Fairy Tale)” by local singer Michael Wong (Guang Liang),” Choo recalled.
Chin’s musical journey began in 2018, when his brother encouraged him to record a children’s Buddhist song — an experience that marked the start of his singing path.
Chin’s gentle voice soon caught the attention of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist organisation, which invited him to participate in Buddhist song recordings and performances. In March 2019, he performed on stage for the first time.
He later met local musician Chew Paulwah, who became his mentor and taught him vocal techniques and performance skills.
“Teacher Chew taught me that singing is not just about skills, but also about expressing life itself,” he said.
Although his lessons were disrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic, they kept in touch, and one of the first people Chin shared his award news with was his teacher.
Born with glaucoma, which caused blindness in his right eye and partial vision in his left, Chin remains positive, cheerful and determined.
“I have a very loving family. My parents and brothers have given me a lot of encouragement and love,” he shared.
Chin said music has always been his way of expressing emotions and finding strength in daily life. He prefers singing songs that reflect family love and real-life experiences.
“I like songs that people can relate to, especially those about family and everyday life,” he said, adding that Mandarin pronunciation is one of the most challenging parts of vocal training.
In July this year, Chin moved from Kuala Lumpur to Penang to further his studies and gain new skills for better career opportunities.
“This is my first time living away from home. My family worries about me, but it’s time for me to learn to be independent. Only through continuous learning can I become better,” he said.
He added that he enjoys life in Penang, often going out for meals or short outings with his hostel mates at St Nicholas Home, where they support each other in daily life.
Chin is expected to complete his IT course in December, after which he plans to return to Kuala Lumpur to continue pursuing both his career and musical ambitions.
Reflecting on his trip to Taiwan, Chin described the experience as an eye-opener. Besides the competition, participants took part in concerts, sharing sessions, and city tours, which allowed them to interact and exchange ideas.
“Seeing the perseverance and passion of other visually impaired musicians deeply moved me and strengthened my determination to continue walking this path,” he said.
Chin was also invited to share his story during an interview at Han Sheng Radio Station in Taipei, marking his first international media appearance.
Looking ahead, he hopes to continue improving his singing skills and has recently begun learning the guitar, aspiring to take part in more international competitions in the future.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud