VietNamNet Bridge - A disabled man who has been honored for his services to IT and himself trains others with disability has filed a nomination to contest the National Assembly polls for 2011-16.

Nguyen Cong Hung, 29, who is self-nominated, says: “I … hope I will become a representative of people with disabilities in social forums and contribute to policy-making related to them.

“I may be the first disabled person to stand for an NA election without nomination. Whether I win the election or not, I believe my action will inspire people with disabilities to be confident enough to engage in political and social activities.”

Hung, who has been paralyzed since he was a child, was honored as an “Information Technology Knight” by the IT-telecom magazine E-Chip in 2005, says he decided to run after encouragement from his family and friends.

He runs the Energetic Life Joint Stock Company which offers free training in IT and English to people with disability.

If his candidacy is approved, he says he will seek permission to launch a new kind of electoral campaign to reach out to voters — online.

Since he has a close relationship with the online community, he believes netizens will back him to the hilt.

Even if his candidacy is not accepted, Hung says lawmakers should expand their contacts with the public through online social networks.

Milestones

• 2003: Nguyen Cong Hung opens the Cong Hung Information Center for people with disability.

• 2005: He is honored as an “IT Knight” by E-Chip magazine

• 2006: He is among the winners of the “Vietnam’s Prominent Young Figures” title

• August 2006: He sets up a website titled “Nghị lá»±c sống” (“Energetic Life”) at www.nghilucsong.net. The website, which has 30,000 members around the world, aims to help disabled people studies and find jobs.

• 2008: He establishes the Energetic Life Center to offer free vocational training to disabled people. It has so far created jobs for more than 600 people with disabilities.

VietNamNet/Tuoi Tre