By Victoria Barker

HIS condition has left him with minimal motor ability and he is completely wheelchair-bound.

But these obstacles did not stop Singapore Management University (SMU) student Liew Chong Heng from being one of 1,167 students to graduate on Saturday.

The 22-year-old graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Informations Systems Management with high merit.

Mr Liew suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, an incurable genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness.

People with this condition typically have trouble controlling their limbs and experience muscle twitches, according to the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Singapore website.

Mr Liew's brother, Chong Choon, 24, suffers from the same condition. He too surmounted the odds and graduated from SMU last year with a Business Management degree. The older Mr Liew is currently working as an officer with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.

Mr Liew's body may be weak but his spirit is strong, judging by the determination and confidence this reporter observed during an interview before the Commencement ceremony on Saturday.

Though he admitted that his educational journey was not easy, Mr Liew told my paper that he would rather focus on how far he has come than on the difficulties he faced along the way.

He said: "I try not to think of them as obstacles but as challenges. There were some setbacks but, with time and effort, I've managed to overcome them."

Because of his disability, simple tasks such as writing take him longer compared to his peers. He also had to deal with navigating his wheelchair around the sprawling campus.

In university, life wasn't all about academic work for Mr Liew. He took time and effort to give free tuition to secondary school students in the normal stream. He also conducted leadership workshops to boost their self-esteem.

He is "grateful for all the support" he received along the way.

His friends and teachers were always accommodating to his needs, Mr Liew said.

"My teachers gave me extra time to complete my work as they understood that I needed it, and my classmates showed lots of care and concern," he said.

He also credited his parents for providing for his daily needs and for "being encouraging".

His father, a taxi driver, shuttled him to and from SMU's campus in Bras Basah Road.

His mother, Madam Yap Siew Eng, 51, sees her children's success as a "source of hope" for other parents.

"My sons are a good example for others with the same condition. The fact that they have the talent to come this far shows that things can only get better," said the housewife.

The next step for Mr Liew is finding employment - he hopes to work in the IT industry.

When asked to offer advice to those in a similar situation like his own, Mr Liew had just one thing to say: "Just because you're physically disabled does not mean you can't live normally. With determination and perseverance, you can achieve anything."

For more my paper stories, click here.