Minister of Social Affairs Receives Hearing of the Working Group of the National Commission on Disabilities

JAKARTA (August 24, 2020) - The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, has assigned the Indonesian Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari P. Batubara, to receive an audience from the Working Group (Pokja) of the National Commission for Disabilities (KND). In this hearing, the development of Presidential Regulation Number 68 of 2020 on KND and several other important issues were presented.

The Minister of Social Affairs said that currently Presidential Decree Number 68 of 2020 is in the process of being reviewed by the Supreme Court. "The last condition, Presidential Decree Number 68 of 2020 is in the process of Material Testing by the Supreme Court," he said.

KND is a non-structural institution that is independent, has the task of carrying out monitoring, evaluation and advocacy for the implementation of respect, protection and fulfillment of the rights of persons with disabilities.

Presidential Decree No. 68 of 2020 on the National Commission for Disabilities (KND) which was originally prepared by the Ministry of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reforms (Ministry of PAN-RB) together with many parties including the Coalition of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities has been carried out according to procedures.

However, the Coalition of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities took the initiative to conduct a judicial review with a formal and material test of the Presidential Regulation to make it more aspirational.

The Indonesian government, which has been authorized by the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights and the PAN-RB Ministry, has answered a letter from the Supreme Court regarding the Judicial Review Process of Presidential Regulation Number 68 of 2020 on the National Commission for Disabilities.

Everything in the judicial review process in question is left entirely to law enforcement, the Ministry of Social Affairs is not in an effort to intervene in the ongoing process. Whatever the outcome of the Supreme Court's decision is expected to be accepted by all parties.

The Ministry of Social Affairs respects the ongoing legal process and accepts any decision from the Supreme Court. "Yes, the Ministry of Social Affairs will follow whatever decision the Supreme Court decides," explained the Minister of Social Affairs.
Gufroni, Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Persons with Disabilities (PPDI) is grateful that Presidential Decree Number 68 of 2020 has been published. "We have read in substance and in principle respect and fulfillment of the rights of Persons with Disabilities has been regulated there," he said.

Gufroni added that the process of selecting KND members must be transparent, because this institution is an independent institution that is directly responsible to the President of the Republic of Indonesia. "Hopefully with our efforts, the rights of Persons with Disabilities can be fulfilled," he added.

On this occasion, the Minister of Social Affairs also gave the opportunity to the KND Working Group to provide input and feedback regarding Presidential Decree Number 68 of 2020 as well as on other strategic issues that need joint discussion.
Maulani from the Association of Indonesian Women with Disabilities (HWDI) said that there are other issues that also need joint attention, namely the mandate of Law Number 8 of 2016 on Persons with Disabilities, which contains data collection for Persons with Disabilities.

Until now, the Ministry of Social Affairs has not only synchronized data on persons with disabilities, but has also synchronized all data related to social welfare. Regarding disability data collection, the Ministry of Social Affairs has made efforts to synchronize data collection through the Directorate General of Population Administration and Civil Registry of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri).

The Ministry of Social Affairs has also asked the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Population Administration System to include the issue of disability. The Ministry of Social Affairs encourages the Ministry of Home Affairs to be able to open disability data but not to be widely published.

In addition, the data collection system through the BPS Longform 2021 population census, the Ministry of Social Affairs has also requested that various types of disability be included in accordance with the concept of Law Number 8 of 2016. The progress made by the Ministry of Social Affairs was reported directly by the Director of Social Rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities, Eva Rahmi Kasim.

Then, internally, the Ministry of Social Affairs has improved data collection through the Social Welfare Data and Information Center (Pusdatin Kesos). We also try to improve the data through the Social Welfare Information System (SIKS) for Social Welfare Service Recipient (PPKS) for Persons with Disabilities so that later all persons with disabilities will be recorded.

The hearing which lasted for 2 hours was attended by the Director General of Social Rehabilitation and the Director of Social Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, the KND Working Group consisting of PWDI, the Indonesian Blind Association (Pertuni), the Access General Election Center (PPUA), the Indonesian Physical Disability Association (PPDFI) and the Indonesian Association of Persons with Disabilities (PPDI). Also attended by a team from the Legal Bureau of the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.