House Commission XIII Pushes for Poor Inmates and Families to Receive BPJS PBI Health Coverage
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Rieke Diah Pitaloka, a member of the DPR RI’s Commission XIII, is pushing for indigent inmates and their families to receive social health insurance in the form of BPJS Penerima Bantuan Iuran (PBI).
The politician from the West Java electoral district stated that she is currently in intensive communication with the Directorate General of Corrections to discuss health social security for these inmates.
“Earlier, I discussed what we consider quite an important issue: health social security for inmates across the country and their families,” Rieke said at Cipinang Detention Centre in Jakarta on Wednesday.
She stated that her side is seriously discussing the matter with relevant parties, including the Directorate General of Corrections and the government, regarding BPJS PBI for indigent inmates.
According to her, inmates are required to become BPJS PBI participants based on applicable legal regulations. “Because if the health costs of inmates are borne by the limited correctional budget, it clearly won’t be sufficient,” she said.
Moreover, she noted, the current correctional budget is also being optimised for facility improvements and the like to enhance services.
“Furthermore, it is legally mandatory for inmates to become BPJS PBI participants, and we are continuing coordination so that for families of indigent inmates, local governments are obliged to include them in the data for BPJS PBI recipients,” she said.
“So, both inmates and their families, especially those who are indigent, are ensured by the state to receive their right to social security, particularly health,” she added.
Rieke added that if the health costs of inmates are borne by the correctional system, it won’t be enough.
Therefore, her side is pushing for indigent inmates and their families to be made BPJS PBI members.
“And if that budget continues to be borne by the correctional system, is it sufficient? Or is it very burdensome,” Rieke said.
Rieke was present at the granting of remissions for Nyepi Day 2026 at Cipinang Detention Centre in Jakarta. Her presence was as a correctional partner to ensure that the entire remission process runs in accordance with applicable regulations.
She stated that remissions cannot be granted without procedures, as all procedures are also strictly supervised.
“So, out of around 271,000 inmates nationwide, there are about 4,000 Hindus, and for this Nyepi, 1,506 people received remissions, with four of them being released,” she explained.
She added that the momentum of Nyepi Day, which is still in the Ramadan atmosphere and close to Eid al-Fitr 2026, gives meaning that all humans must support each other.
Inmates in the correctional system, she continued, do not mean they cannot be accepted by society.
The correctional system now has a concept not of judgement, but how, with the new Criminal Code, the existence of social penalties, the direction forward is how inmates can truly be prepared to return to society.
“So, both Commission XIII and the government are now striving for new methods and mechanisms in the correctional system that can strengthen, especially for the implementation of Criminal Code Number 1 of 2023,” Rieke said.