It All Begins with the Asian Para Games

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Members of the Jakarta Barrier Free Tourism (JBFT) community try to make use of access for persons with disabilities in a number of public facilities and modes of transportation starting from Palmerah Station, Commuter Line Train, Tanah Abang Station, Tranjakarta Buses up to the National Library, Jakarta, Saturday (10/3/2018) . This activity aims to find barriers to public facilities for the disabled to be an evaluation material for stakeholders.

Indonesia is under the global spotlight yet again. After successfully hosting the 18th Asian Games just last month, Jakarta now serves as host for the 2018 Asian Para Games.

This is the second international multisport event to be held in Indonesia in 2018. The Asian Para Games was opened by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. The event sees 2,762 athletes from 43 countries taking part in 18 sports. It is taking place from Oct. 6-13.

Indonesian Asian Para Games Organizing Committee (INAPGOC) chief Raja Sapta Oktohari got it right when he said the Asian Para Games opening ceremony was a roller-coaster of emotions. Sadness, joy, pride and sympathy all rolled into one.

At the opening ceremony, President Jokowi showed his sign language skills in his speech, thereby expressing his support for values of humanity, equality and sportsmanship. “Through the 2018 Asian Para Games, we wish to celebrate brotherhood, show our persistence and achievement and uphold humanitarian values,” the President said.

The 2018 Asian Para Games is not only a sports event for Asian disabled athletes. The Games also paint a narrative of the struggle to overcome and go beyond one’s limitations. These stories of struggle can inspire the nation.

According to the Central Statistics Agency’s (BPS) 2015 population survey, 8.56 percent of the 255.18 million Indonesians are disabled (Kompas, 6/10/2018). This raises the question of whether or not disabled people’s rights are considered in urban planning and construction of public facilities. Have disabled people been accommodated in these matters?

Law No. 8/2016 on disabled people was signed by President Joko Widodo on April 15, 2016. The law is based upon principles of equality and equal rights for disabled people. The law clearly stipulates that all disabled people have an equal standing before the law. Therefore, central and local governments should formulate proper policies of public facility construction that observe the rights of disabled people.

Serving as Asian Para Games host is a good start for leaders both in government and business to consider the rights of disabled people when creating development policies. Concern for disabled people’s rights shows that a city is refined and civilized.

In the political year of 2019, we wish to encourage both presidential election pairs, namely Joko Widodo-Ma’ruf Amin and Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno, to include disability issues in their development programs. We certainly do not wish these candidates to simply seek the votes of 8.56 percent of Indonesians, only to later set aside their aspirations.