PETER Teoh was born with cerebral palsy but this did not stop him from being of service to those in need.

Together with a friend, Lily Looi, wheelchair-bound since the age of four, the pair set up a business – providing a van-based delivery service for the disabled, the elderly, and anyone with difficulty moving on their own.

Despite their handicap, Teoh, 44, and Looi, 55, lead normal lives and now offer assistance to people who need it in Penang through their Amazing Van business.

Looi, who is Teoh’s translator, said her friend has been independent since he was young and had always wanted to drive a car.

“Peter started learning to drive at the age of 11 from his younger cousin.

“At 18, he had his driving licence. At first, no driving school wanted to accept him but eventually one in Butterworth decided to accept him as a student and he obtained a licence,” Looi said.

Looi, a polio patient who was unable to walk at the age of four, said the idea to start Amazing Van as a business came from Teoh.

“We started in 2012. A few years earlier, Peter used to borrow my car to ferry a disabled friend.

“From there, he thought it would be a good idea to have a special service to ferry the disabled. Coincidentally, there was a used van equipped with a wheelchair lift, so we decided to buy it.

“However, the bank did not approve our loan application because of our disability status. Fortunately, the chairman of the Cheshire Charity House was willing to buy the van and we owe it to him.

“And that’s how Amazing Van started,” she said.

Due to his disability, Teoh can’t speak well and moves around with a scooter. However, he can drive, both in automatic and manual gear.

Teoh drives while Looi handles reservation. They drive the van around George Town and charge RM40 for every return trip.

“People can call me for reservations at 016-4749200. Most of our customers are people who need dialysis treatment, the elderly and those in wheelchairs.

“Our van can accommodate three people, sometimes we carry only one customer and sometimes with families.”

Teoh and Looi have been best friends since they first met at Cheshire Charity House when the former was in his mid-20s.

Cheshire Charity House is an organisation focused on educating and caring for the disabled in various categories.

Having been close friends for a long time, Looi is able to understand what Teoh says through the sounds he makes and hand language.

Teoh, a resident of Bukit Mertajam, tried his best to speak and was friendly when The Malaysian Insight met them at Taman Seri Green on Van Praagh Road in Penang.

“Peter has done a lot of work. He has sold lottery tickets, sold mobile phone accessories but he’s really happy working as a van driver.

“I also worked for a company as a receptionist for 20 years,” she said.

Looi said they can get up to five or six customers daily. They operate from 8am to 6pm.

“We only have Sundays off. The rest of the week is busy as there are lots of customers with hospital appointments.”

They can earn RM1,000 or more each month but RM600 goes to fuel and other expenditure.

“We don’t earn much but we can fend for ourselves.”

Expansion plan

Last month, a donor provided a van installed with a lift to carry a wheelchair.

Looi said she is looking for a driver to expand the service to Seberang Prai.

“We are looking for a van driver. The service for this second van will be extended to Seberang Perai and possibly the Kedah-Penang border.

“Charges have not been set but they may be a little more expensive,” she said.

On how they came up with the name Amazing Van, Lily said: “Have you seen people with disabilities drive a van? Probably never.

“People may be worried about Peter’s physical limitations but his driving skills are great. Peter can read GPS well and easily memorise routes.

“Our van sometimes needs to be serviced in Kuala Lumpur, so Peter will drive from Penang to KL, especially if there are repairs to the wheelchair lift.” – June 5, 2020.