“Because I speak and act differently, people judge me,” the 33-year-old co-founder of a local start-up in the Klang Valley tells FMT.
He says that growing up, he was ill-equipped to handle the constant judgment he was subjected to, and this led him to be fearful of attempting new things in life.
He believes this constant scrutiny arrested his development and crippled whatever small ambitions he had to make something of himself.
Daniel requested to remain anonymous for this interview so as not to inadvertently put his business at risk.
He tells FMT that even at an early age, he knew he was different from other kids. Yet, he tried to prove the doubters wrong by showing them that people under the spectrum could contribute positively to society too.
He remembers it being an uphill battle however, until he was presented with the golden opportunity to study in the US for five years.
“Living independently abroad gave me the chance to start over. During that period, I retrained myself. I rid myself of some of my symptoms, managed to cope with social difficulties better and even learned how to socialise.
“Now, I no longer have repetitive body movements and I have no trouble maintaining eye contact,” he says of the common symptoms those with autism battle with every day.
Gone too are the days of rigid living when everything had to be planned down to the last detail and routines religiously adhered to under all circumstances.
“It does not upset me now if something unplanned pops up. I am more flexible in that sense,” he says, sounding somewhat proud of his newfound sense of spontaneity.
Talking from personal experience, he says he believes that living in the right environment led to these improvements in his life.
“Spending time away from all those who knew me helped reduce my fear of being judged. To be honest, if I had not spent time abroad, I would not be the person I am today, although, that is probably not a cheap way to do it,” he joked.
Daniel says many autistic people tend to be attracted to jobs in the fields of technology and computing.
“These fields require individuals who are meticulous and who don’t crave for much human interaction. I think that is why it attracts autistic people.
Daniel, who is a detail-oriented person, believes he’s in the right field although he does grapple with some aspects of the job, like leading his team.
“Communicating with people is still a challenge,” he admits, but adds that he is willing to do anything to see his business succeed.
He says that if he had one simple wish, it would be that Malaysians would not be so quick to judge those who are different.
“I hope more local companies would hire individuals who are on the spectrum and recognise their potential, their talents and the values that these individuals bring to the business.
“Do not just hire autistic people for the sake of a CSR (corporate social responsibility) project. Hire them because of their different views and abilities,” he says.