Govt to drop taxes on facilities for disabled

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie said here Saturday the government would abolish existing taxes on the import of articles designed to assist handicapped people.

"The government can... issue a regulation so that domestic or imported hearing aids, or whatever for the blind, the deaf, or other (disabled people) are freed from import tax, or any other taxes," he said in a meeting with disabled people and managers of social organizations at the Taman Mini park in East Jakarta.

He said the government should not make a profit from facilities for disabled people.

At the post-Idul Fitri gathering attended by 3,000 disabled children, Habibie as accompanied by First Lady Hasri Ainun Habibie, Minister of Social Affairs Justika Baharsjah and Minister of Health Farid Anfasa Moeloek.

The decision was made on the spot after listening to a spokesman for people with impaired hearing. The representative said 95 percent of those present did not use hearing aids because they could not afford the imported devices.

Habibie added that taxes on the domestic trade of such goods would also be eliminated.

He heard other complaints, including the common practice of deducting government aid for orphanages.

In response to this, the President said government funding for orphanages would be sent to the beneficiaries directly through bank transfers.

In the entertainment session, in which two blind children sang Semalam di Yogya (A night in Yogya) Habibie came on stage and demonstrated his skills to warm applause.

Meanwhile, the First Lady urged more professionalism among social organizations. "The challenges faced by social organizations will increase," she said.

While such bodies needed to reach out to as many people as possible in the crisis, professionalism should not be set aside, she said. She noted the increasing involvement of business people in social organizations would influence the way social bodies worked. (prb)