MP: AI Can Be a Tool for Social Justice for People with Disabilities

Lestari Moerdijat, Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), has called for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to be continuously improved as part of efforts to fulfil the constitutional mandate of advancing the nation’s intellect. She stated that AI now represents a new hope for people with disabilities in Indonesia, serving as an effective tool to enhance independence, from recognising surrounding objects to translating sign language.

According to Rerie, as she is known, the technology offers various features that can be tailored to specific needs. For the visually impaired, computer vision can help describe images and the surrounding environment, while for the hearing impaired, speech-to-text transcription opens up broader access to communication.

She highlighted data from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology showing that as of June 2025, 3,128 students with disabilities are pursuing higher education across 282 universities. This indicates increasingly open access to tertiary education. However, she also noted that data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) for 2025 shows that a significant number of people with disabilities, around 70 percent, are still working in the informal sector.

Rerie, who is also a member of House of Representatives Commission X, emphasised that with the right approach, AI can become a tool for social justice. She asserted that mastering AI could accelerate economic opportunities and boost productivity for people with disabilities, ensuring that the nation’s digital transformation delivers justice for all citizens.