Mrs. Risma, God Also Gave The Brain And Conscience To Understand Each Other, Not All Of Us Are The Same Although We Are Equal

JAKARTA - Social Minister Tri Rismaharini has drawn criticism after forcing a deaf person to speak. Risma said God gave us eyes, ears, and mouths to maximize their use. Yes. To the deaf Risma said that. Risma seems to need to know that God also gave us brains and conscience to understand each other, not all of us are the same, although it is clear that all of us must be equal.

"God gave us a mouth, gave ears, gave us eyes. What I want to teach you, especially children, who use hearing aids, is that they don't have to be mute. Actually, they don't have to be mute. So that's why I forced you guys to talk. I really force you, so that we can maximize what God has given us," Risma said in a video uploaded to the Ministry of Social's YouTube account.

The meeting between Risma and the deaf took place in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Wednesday, December 1. Risma initially visited a number of exhibition stands displaying the works of children with disabilities. Risma then stopped at a painting booth for the deaf. After the deaf person finished his painting, Risma asked him to come on stage. There are two children: Anfil and Aldi.

Risma in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (Source: Special)

Anfil is a person with a mental disability and is deaf. He was asked to convey a few words to Risma directly. Anfil spoke. Meanwhile, Aldi, who is a person with autism and communication disorders, was also asked to speak. But Aldi shook his head. Her request went unanswered, Risma then said:

I asked you now to talk without using tools. You talk Aldi... Can you talk?

Risma's attitude was then responded to by a deaf person named Stefan. Stefan is a man who appears in many video clips circulating. Stefan tries to explain to Risma about the importance of hearing aids for deaf people. Stefan even mentions the importance of hearing aids like treasures.

Risma even cut off the critic's opportunity to speak to save her face.
https://t.co/ffcaquAhfx pic.twitter.com/d629IgtNT8
— Allah Larry (@allhlr) December 2, 2021

"Mam, I wish you had known about CRPD that the deaf child did use a hearing aid, but not to be forced to speak," said Stefan.

Risma then answered Stefan with the advice of being 'smart and insightful' that she wanted people with disabilities to maximize the use of the limbs given by God Almighty. "So that's why I forced you to speak, I really forced you, so that we could maximize God's gift to us. Mouth, eyes, ears," said Risma.

"I want to try how much ability, especially children, to maximize their ears, mouth, can't give up Stefan, never give up... You can't stop. You can learn to use sign language, but Stefan, I want to train all of you not to give up," said Risma, with her wise words surpassed Mario Teguh.

The life of people with disabilities in Indonesia

Photo illustration (Nguyen Minh/Unsplash)

In Indonesia, there are around 34 million people with disabilities. This figure was obtained through the 2020 National Socio-Economic Survey (Sensusnas).

Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Persons with Disabilities (PPDI) Gufroni Sakaril said there was still a lot of discrimination against people with disabilities. For example, the ratio of opportunities for people with disabilities to work in government agencies or private offices is still minimal.

"It is hoped that one percent of people with disabilities can be absorbed in work, but what has materialized is still a small number, only 0.0 percent," said Gufron, quoted by CNN Indonesia, Thursday, December 2.

Improving stakeholder understanding of the real conditions of persons with disabilities may be the first difficult task. How can create an equal life if policymakers are not aware, fail to understand the difference between "same" and "equal."

Persons with disabilities are people who live in special conditions. It is impossible to put them in the same position as non-disabled people.

That is why disability requires supporting aspects in life and society. From the law, for example.

There is Law Number 8 of 2016 concerning Persons with Disabilities. The law requires local governments, central government, BUMN, and BUMD to employ at least 2 percent of people with disabilities from the total number of employees or workers.

The law was made as a supporting aspect for people with disabilities to get equality. And so it's no wonder why this Law is like a blank paper if you look at the understanding of Risma, the Minister of Social Affairs regarding the condition of people with disabilities.

Gufron said that currently, the absorption of workers with disabilities in BUMN or government agencies is only 0.001 percent. That rate is much lower in private companies.

"We need advocacy so that they provide opportunities for people with disabilities so that they can work and be productive," said Gufron.

Gufron on that occasion asked the Ministry of Social Affairs to empower people with disabilities so that their qualifications and abilities can increase. This is important to empower them in the job seeker market or in the world of work.

"The Ministry of Social Affairs should provide education and also open the widest possible formations for persons with disabilities, provide programs to improve qualifications, education, increase experience and training until there is a work certificate," he said.

Apart from the dimensions of legislation and their implementation in the world of work, we will discuss special facilities for supporting people with disabilities. These facilities exist and are needed because of the awareness that we are not equal but equality must be achieved.

Disability blogger and campaigner Kerry Thompson explains why accessibility is so important to her and to many people with disabilities around the world. Thompson himself is a sufferer of Muscular Dystrophy so he has to use a wheelchair.

"How much do we all know about accessibility for people with disabilities? I know why disabled access is so important to me. I have Muscular Dystrophy and use a powered wheelchair."

"That means I need access to toilet changing places because I need a hoist. And to get into the building I need a ramp or level access. I used the AccessAble website and App to find places with this facility," reads the accessable.co.uk website, which supports equal accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Thompson even explained that the needs of people with disabilities can be very specific and different. For example him. Their needs are very different from stick users or people with disabilities who have visual impairments.

The site also conducts a small survey by interviewing a number of other persons with disabilities with different special needs. The result in general is an inclusive policy, which means that it does not only focus on one group but takes into account the needs of all groups, including people with disabilities.

And that can only be obtained when we are all aware and understand that not all of us are the same. Even people with disabilities have different needs. If we are still trapped in a naive, wise but empty frame of mind, that we all have the same opportunities and abilities, we will never achieve equality.

"The lack of accessibility is sometimes caused by a lack of knowledge and understanding. Without experiencing the daily struggles people with disabilities face firsthand, it is not an urgency to make significant changes. Everything from education, transportation, work, even housing if access for people with disabilities is no, we can't access and enjoy it."

"When we think about accessibility, it's not just about people with disabilities themselves. It's about family, friends, caregivers, and all those around us. A place that adapts an environment to more inclusive access can include the simplest of actions, taking all distractions into account."

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