Dofa Fasila & Fidelis E. Satriastanti – Disabled Indonesians are being sent mixed messages on the government's commitment to ensure equal access to transportation.
In the same week that the Jakarta city administration unveiled new pro-accessibility rules, the Transportation Ministry announced it would appeal a court ruling ordering it to apologize and pay compensation to a disabled air traveler.
The Central Jakarta District Court ruled last week that Lion Air, the Transportation Ministry and airport operator Angkasa Pura II should make amends for the discrimination wheelchair-bound Ridwan Sumantri faced when he took a Lion Air flight from Jakarta to Bali on April 11.
Ridwan was denied a request to be given a seat near the door of the plane, and instead had to suffer the indignity of being carried to his seat in the middle part of the plane.
He was also asked to sign a letter that described him as "sick," and was required to agree that he would shoulder the medical costs of any other passengers who fell ill because of him. The court ordered the three defendants to apologize to Ridwan and pay "moral" damages of Rp 25 million ($2,800).
Heppy Sebayang, Ridwan's lawyer, welcomed the decision. "We are very happy with this result. It is part of our advocacy and campaigning on behalf of disabled people," he said on Saturday. "It has taught everyone a lesson about discrimination."
The Transportation Ministry, however, indicated it would appeal the verdict. "They have 14 days to lodge their appeal in writing. Let them do so, we are ready to face them again," Heppy said.
The Jakarta city administration, by contrast, is taking the first steps to implement a regional regulation introduced on Wednesday requiring buildings and transportation facilities to accommodate the disabled.
A new TransJakarta busway route, Corridor XI, will feature 15 stops with facilities to assist the vision impaired. Stops along the route, from Kampung Melayu to Pulo Gebang, both in East Jakarta, will have Braille tiles with information to assist in entering and leaving the bus stop and in boarding buses.
"It will be easy for them to enter a bus stop, board a TransJakarta bus and exit the bus," Erna Yuni, from the city's transportation office, said on Saturday. "The buses have also been fitted with special seats for the physically disabled." Besides this, the bus stop near the East Jakarta mayor's office has had an additional toilet installed for the disabled, Erna said.