'Firms must hire disabled people'

Every year countries around the world, including Indonesia, mark Dec. 3 as the International Day for Disabled Persons. But, how does Indonesia treat disabled people in the country? The Jakarta Post interviewed residents here on the issue.

Candra Adiguna, 35, is a resident of Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD), Tangerang. He works for a bank on Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta.

I agree that we have to give fair access to disabled people because they also have the right to benefit from our development programs.

They must have access to education and jobs and benefit from various urban facilities.

I respect companies that employ disabled persons for certain jobs. It allows them to stand on their own. I think the city administration must issue a regulation requiring companies to employ disabled people.

In developed countries like Japan, nearly all buildings are provided with facilities for disabled people. But, in Jakarta, there are still many buildings that cannot be accessed by disabled persons.

I also see that there are many public facilities like public buses and trains that are not accessible for the disabled.

Aditia, 39, is a resident of Kebon Jeruk subdistrict, West Jakarta. He works as a coordinator of security guards for a private company on Jl. Kwitang Raya, Central Jakarta.

Talking about accessibility, it is not only the disabled who do not have adequate facilities.

As you know there are still many roads that do not have sidewalks for pedestrians. This forces pedestrians to walk on the side of the road, which is dangerous. It means that such facilities are not available to anyone.

So we must not only urge the government to develop facilities for the disabled, but we must also call for the development of more urban facilities as a whole.

Don't get me wrong. I agree that we must develop facilities for the disabled and we already have a regulation that requires the development of such facilities.

-- The Jakarta Post