{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1471779,
        "msgid": "people-with-disabilities-have-largely-expressed-reluctance-to-1447899208",
        "date": "2004-02-13 00:00:00",
        "title": "People with disabilities have largely expressed reluctance to ",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "People with disabilities have largely expressed reluctance to exercise their right to vote as the General Elections Commission (KPU) has failed to provide access to polling stations, an activist said. Chairman of the General Elections Committee for Access to People with Disabilities (PPUA Penca) Ariani Abdul Mun'im said on Thursday that she had asked the KPU on a number of occasions to heed the group's demands, but to no avail.",
        "content": "<p>People with disabilities have largely expressed reluctance to <br>\nexercise their right to vote as the General Elections Commission <br>\n(KPU) has failed to provide access to polling stations, an <br>\nactivist said.<\/p>\n<p>Chairman of the General Elections Committee for Access to <br>\nPeople with Disabilities (PPUA Penca) Ariani Abdul Mun'im said on <br>\nThursday that she had asked the KPU on a number of occasions to <br>\nheed the group's demands, but to no avail.<\/p>\n<p>\"We have talked with Pak Ramlan Surbakti, and Bu Chusnul <br>\nMar'iyah about the matter and they seemed to respond well during <br>\nour conversations, but why aren't they taking any concrete steps <br>\nto fulfill our request?\" said Ariani.<\/p>\n<p>The PPUA has asked for voting booths, which are convenient for <br>\npeople in wheelchairs and ballot papers with braille.<\/p>\n<p>Ariani said there was a discrepancy in the Law No. 12\/2003 on <br>\nelection and KPU Decree No. 1\/2004 on election rulings regarding <br>\nthe number of helpers in case a disabled person is unable to cast <br>\nhis or her ballot.<\/p>\n<p>The law states that disabled people could bring a helper to <br>\nvote with them, while the decree says the KPU would provide two <br>\nofficers from the Polling Station Committee (KPPS) to help them.<\/p>\n<p>Article 88 of the Law No. 12\/2003 stipulates that voting <br>\nbooths must be easily accessible to disabled voters. The law also <br>\nguarantees that each voter can vote directly, freely and <br>\nconfidentially.<\/p>\n<p>Ariani said although the KPU decree rules out the possibility <br>\nof providing braille ballots, the elections commission should <br>\nprovide them so all people can vote by themselves if they so <br>\ndesire.<\/p>\n<p>Some six to eight million out of 12 million disabled persons <br>\nin Indonesia --including the blind, deaf, and the handicapped-- <br>\nare eligible to vote in the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n<p>Deputy chairman of PPUA Penca, Heppy Sebayang, said the KPU <br>\nhas failed to initiate the necessary changes, so many disabled <br>\npeople just would not vote.<\/p>\n<p>\"Many people will be cheated (of their right to vote secretly) <br>\nand many ballot papers will be considered invalid because the <br>\ndisabled won't be able to cast their ballots accurately,\" said <br>\nHeppy.<\/p>\n<p>The government has called on the KPU to provide adequate <br>\nfacilities for disabled voters so that they can exercise their <br>\nrights in the elections.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/people-with-disabilities-have-largely-expressed-reluctance-to-1447899208",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}