Jamsostek reaches out to politicians

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Politicians taking part in their party congresses should feel safer -- now they are insured, state insurer PT Jamsostek's president says.

Achmad Djunaidi called the unprecedented move "a breakthrough" for Jamsostek into a new market.

"Such protection is needed given the fact that some of the congress participants are either old politicians or public officials such as ministers, governors, regents and mayors," he said on Thursday.

Almost a half of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's United Indonesia Cabinet ministers are members or executives of political parties. While Susilo himself cofounded the Democrat Party, his Vice President Jusuf Kalla chairs the Golkar Party.

Many governors, regents or mayors are also linked to political parties.

"The insurance programs will cover compensation for injuries resulting from occupational accidents and deaths," Djunaidi said, adding that Jamsostek would also provide medical assistance at the congress venues.

Throughout the year there will be at least six major parties holding their national congresses, the next being the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) whose members will convene on the famous tourist island of Bali next week.

Djunaidi said PDI-P had paid over Rp 10 billion (US$1.07 million) for policies to cover about 2,000 participants of its congress.

All the six parties have confirmed their commitment to covering participants of their congresses with the social security programs provided by Jamsostek, Djunaidi said.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) will hold its congress from April 7 to April 10, followed by the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Democrat Party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB).

Asked why Jamsostek took such an initiative, Djunaidi said most participants of the political events were workers and, thereby, needed to be insured.

"We have no political interests in the congresses and will never donate the parties money to help them organize the events because our assets belong to the workers," he said.

If the last week's fracas-filled DPR session becomes a trend, and with some parties facing internal conflicts, there is also a possibility of violence in the meetings, albeit in form of minor altercations.

Journalists covering the political events would be also covered by the program, Djunaidi said.