State Must Be Present to Protect Rights of Disabled, President Jokowi Says
President Jokowi witnessing the use of a special ATM machine for the disabled customers at the Commemoration of the International Day of Persons withDisabilities at the State Palace on Thursday (3/12)
President Joko Jokowi Widodo said speaking about persons with disabilities is not merely about numbers.
According to him, even there is only one disabled person, the state must be present to meet their needs and to protect their rights as citizens.
The state must be present to ensure the rights of the disabled as citizens who also have to face the future, the President said in his remarks at the Commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities at the State Palace on Thursday (3/12).
In the future, the President added, the Government would gradually take concrete measures to provide proper and inclusive education for persons with disabilities.
He went on to say that the Government would also provide job opportunities for them, for example by building a factory (where they can work).
We hope this factory can serve as an example and later, we hope we can build more and more factories, the President said.
The President also said that the Government would provide transportation and public facilities that can be used by persons withdisabilities.
On that occasion, President Jokowi also shared his experience when he, along with some disabled people, boarded a bus from a bus station.
President Jokowi said that he could understand and feel that Indonesia still had to improve infrastructures and public facilities for the disabled.
This is what the Government, both the Central Government and regional governments have to pay attention to. Once I was asked to board a bus with the disabled people and I could really feel that we still have many things to improve, the President said.
President Jokowi further said that the Government would also make efforts to fulfill the needs of the disabled for information.
He also said that the Government would guarantee the basic rights of the citizens, including birth certificates (for the children with disabilities), and resident identity card (KTP) that can be used by disabled, for example Braille KTP.
Furthermore, President Jokowi asserted that the Government is also preparing special ATM machines for the disabled.
As Ive said, we are now preparing special ATM machines for the disabled and we hope all regions will immediately have such ATM machines, he added.
However, the President acknowledged that those measures were not enough yet. According to him, there are still many concrete actions that can be taken to help the disabled.
Therefore, the President called on and urged all components of the country to pay more attention to the disabled.
It can be realized, he added, by implementing special programs for the disabled that has been included in the National Plan of Action on Human Rights (RANHAM), including through the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) programs from the business world.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities was also attended by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno L. Marsudi.
The event also saw the launching of special ATM machines for the disabled. (DND/JAY/ES) (EP/YM/Naster)
