Irony of Virtual KPD and Bad Dreams of Digital Accessibility for the Visually Impaired

The launch of Government Regulation (PP) Number 31 of 2026 concerning Concessions for Persons with Disabilities is a major milestone worth celebrating. The right to a minimum 20% discount in nine strategic sectors is finally officially guaranteed by the state. To access these tangible benefits, the government has launched an ambitious digitalization program in the form of a Virtual Disability Card (KPD), which is issued automatically and can be self-accessed through the Cek Bansos application and website of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

The government, together with various Organizations for Persons with Disabilities (OPDIS), is currently actively encouraging millions of persons with disabilities across the country to promptly process this card. However, behind the fanfare of this socialization, the #CekAkses movement has uncovered a deeply concerning and ironic reality: the official Cek Bansos Kemensos application and website, which serves as the sole gateway for issuing the Virtual KPD, is inaccessible to blind screen reader users.

How can a system specifically designed as an instrument for fulfilling the rights of persons with disabilities disregard the most fundamental digital accessibility standards upon its launch? Let's dissect this digital paradox.

Real Complaints from the Socialization Phase: The Visual CAPTCHA "Lock"

This accessibility barrier is not merely a theoretical assumption but a bitter reality directly complained about by blind colleagues in the field. In the official socialization forum for PP Number 31 of 2026, organized by the Ministry of Social Affairs, critical voices emerged from various regions demanding the right to independent accessibility.

Mr. Yulianto, a representative from the Surakarta Regional Disability Committee and also a visually impaired person, conveyed critical complaints experienced by almost all blind individuals in Indonesia when trying to access the Cek Bansos system:

"Please allow me to convey this on behalf of my blind friends, as I am also visually impaired. Regarding access to Cek Bansos, please help ensure that the CAPTCHA has audio. Perhaps there could be an option like other websites that provide sound clips (audio CAPTCHA) so that the code can be read by a screen reader. Thank you in advance."

The absence of an audio CAPTCHA is a fatal "visual lock." Screen reader devices work by translating digital text into speech or braille output. When a security system only displays CAPTCHA in graphic image form without an audio alternative, the system automatically locks out and denies independent access to blind individuals.

A similar sentiment was expressed by a representative from Pertuni North Sulawesi, who highlighted the difficulty of completing attendance lists or digital registrations without the assistance of a sighted companion:

"Please allow me... to make it more accessible for our Pertuni friends, especially those who are visually impaired. Regarding digital registration, it's very complicated for us without a dedicated partner or assistant."

The Ministry of Social Affairs' "Confession of Sins"

Fortunately, this critical stance from the blind community was openly addressed by the ministry's bureaucracy. In the same forum, Mr. Roni, as the Director of Social Rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities (RSPD) at Kemensos, honestly admitted a fatal flaw in the IT system they manage:

"The application is not yet accessible for sensory visually impaired individuals, that's correct. We are currently developing it... We want it to be as easy as possible for everyone, including visually impaired individuals, to access this, either by simplifying the CAPTCHA or using other methods."

While we appreciate Kemensos' honesty and commitment to improvement, the fundamental question of the #CekAkses movement remains firm: Why was this application forced to launch and be mass-socialized before its accessibility aspects were thoroughly prepared and tested?

Launching a disability-specific service without accessibility is a planning fallacy. It's akin to building a multi-story building for disability services but installing steep stairs without a ramp at the entrance, then promising to build the elevator "soon" in the future.

Constitutional Violation in the Name of Public Service

The disregard for accessibility on the Cek Bansos Kemensos platform is not merely a technical issue or a common bug, but a clear violation of written law against the rights of persons with disabilities guaranteed by legislation:

• Violation of Article 19 of Law Number 8 of 2016 (Right to Public Services): Explicitly states that public service providers are obligated to provide Reasonable Accommodation and easily accessible facilities for persons with disabilities without barriers.
• Violation of Article 24 of Law Number 8 of 2016 (Right to Information): Guarantees that persons with disabilities have the right to obtain information and communicate through easily accessible public media, which technically includes meeting international web accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA).

When a state platform that processes key KPD documents is inaccessible, the government is de facto hindering the right to independence for blind individuals and forcing them to constantly rely on the assistance of sighted persons (human guides) just to print their own identity cards. This undermines the value of independence enshrined in the Disability Law.

Emergency Solutions While Awaiting System Rectification

While Pusdatin Kemensos undertakes "improvements" to the CAPTCHA system and the Cek Bansos application interface, the #CekAkses Kartunet movement urges the implementation of the following emergency measures:

1. Optimize Collective Offline Registration (OPDIS): In accordance with Article 9 of Permensos Number 2 of 2021, KPD registration for persons with disabilities who have mobility and digital access barriers can be assisted by Organizations for Persons with Disabilities (OPDIS). Regional DPP Pertuni branches must be encouraged to collect their members' documents collectively using a Power of Attorney to be directly input by village operators into the SIKS-NG system, without forcing members to access the visually unfriendly Cek Bansos application.
2. Affirm the Validity of Physical Disability Certificates: The Ministry of Social Affairs and related institutions must instruct all public service providers (such as PT KAI, tourism managers, and schools) that a physical Disability Certificate from a Community Health Center (Puskesmas)/Hospital is a valid transitional document and must be accepted for claiming the minimum 20% concession discount as mandated by Article 30 of PP Number 31 of 2026. There should be no denial of discount rights simply because visually impaired individuals have not yet managed to print their Virtual KPD due to the inaccessibility issues of the Kemensos digital application.

Conclusion: Accessibility Is Not an Add-on Feature, But a Fundamental Right!

Through this article, the #CekAkses movement urges the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Communication and Digital (KomDigi) to no longer treat digital accessibility as an "optional add-on" or a "next phase project." Digital accessibility for blind individuals is an absolute human right, equivalent to providing ramps for wheelchair users in the physical world.

We urge the government to immediately implement the international standard Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA across the entire Cek Bansos application ecosystem, simplify or replace visual CAPTCHA methods with screen-reader-friendly audio alternatives, and conduct ground checks with competent parties from the disability community before launching new public service systems to the wider public.

Do not let a card designed to remove barriers for persons with disabilities have its doors tightly locked by negligent and discriminatory technological systems. It's time to realize genuine digital inclusion, not just on paper regulations!

List of References & Official Citations

• Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 8 of 2016 concerning Persons with Disabilities (State Gazette of the Republic of Indonesia Year 2016 Number 69).
• Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 2026 concerning Concessions for Persons with Disabilities and Incentives for Companies (State Gazette of the Republic of Indonesia Year 2026 Number 73).
• Regulation of the Minister of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Number 2 of 2021 concerning Disability Cards (State News of the Republic of Indonesia Year 2021 Number 439).
• Discussion Session on the Socialization of Government Regulation Number 31 of 2026 concerning Concessions and KPD with Pusdatin and the Directorate of RSPD, Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (July 30, 2026).