Jakarta, Kartunet - It is a good tradition for the president and his family to open their doors and connect with the public every Eid al-Fitr. However, it is regrettable that the palace still maintains the tradition of giving 'handouts' to people with disabilities, not all of whom get to meet President SBY directly.
This occurred during the State Palace's open house on Monday, July 28, 2014, when not all people with disabilities who came were able to meet President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). Yet, their presence was intended for shaking hands and conveying their aspirations to the president. Instead of conveying aspirations, they merely went home with a sum of money.
Ahmad Yani Basuki, Special Staff to the President for Publication and Documentation, explained that they could not fulfill the wishes of all people with disabilities to shake hands with President SBY, citing the limitations of the people with disabilities themselves.
"If all of them were received to shake hands with the President, they would be out late. It's a pity, they already walk with difficulty and would also have to climb stairs. However, after being given an explanation, the people with disabilities understood the committee's difficulties. This is because there was once an incident where someone fainted from exhaustion," he said.
He added that only representatives of people with disabilities were able to meet SBY.
"Later, 10 representatives from them. If anyone strongly wishes to meet, we will facilitate it, by slipping them in among non-disabled guests," he added. Furthermore, people with disabilities who were not representatives were allowed to go home directly. They were given snacks and money amounting to Rp 300,000. This incident could set a bad precedent for society.
It is no longer the era where people with disabilities who visit officials are identified solely as seeking charity or handouts. They come with the intention of conveying their aspirations, hoping to receive a response from the government. The State Palace should also make improvements to become more accessible and serve as an example for other public facilities.
In the future, hopefully, the Palace will no longer uphold the tradition of giving 'handouts' to people with disabilities." (DPM) Source: Galamedia July 28, 2014