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Jakarta Post

Issue: Hoping for social security in Indonesia

Affordable service: Murni Muriyani with her daughter Elsah on her lap, has her blood pressure read at the Jombang Community Health Center in Tangerang, West Jakarta

The Jakarta Post
Wed, April 14, 2010

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Issue: Hoping for social security in Indonesia

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span class="inline inline-center">Affordable service: Murni Muriyani with her daughter Elsah on her lap, has her blood pressure read at the Jombang Community Health Center in Tangerang, West Jakarta. She could afford medical treatment despite being economically disadvantaged as she hold a health insurance scheme card for lower-income people. JP/R.BERTO WEDHATAMA

 

 

April 8, p.7

The passing of the healthcare reform bill in the US, despite bitter partisanship at the elite and grassroot levels, generated admiration of the leadership of President Barack Obama.

With the delay of Obama’s visit to Indonesia, which was to ensure the passing of this very bill, there were murmurs of why can’t Indonesia do the same, i.e. take significant steps to secure healthcare or overall social protection for all citizens?

What’s wrong with Indonesia? A labor demonstration on April 5 reminded us that there is a civic desire for social protection. But why hasn’t it materialized into real social protection?

Healthcare reform is usually part of a bigger reform in social security systems. While healthcare is among the basic needs that should be secured by the state, the controversy surrounding its reform usually pertains to the cost of extending its coverage (either its given benefits or targeted groups) or the consequence of options for claiming benefits (given different ideological leanings or socioeconomic statuses). (By Dinna Wisnu,  Jakarta)  

Your comments:

 

I think we can all relax. The wealthy will go to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia or the US for medical treatment, shopping and banking transactions. The middle classes will rely on word-of-mouth to find a competent doctor or authentic medication for the minor problems or selling assets in order to meet the costs of the above in case of a necessary major procedure. The poor will go the local puskesmas (community health center), dukun or folk medicine provider. Even in otherwise advanced economies, the state is unable to provide efficient welfare services. For an economy such as ours it would be inconceivable.

P. Neumann
Jakarta

 

 

The article contains some nonsensical assertions/statements to the point of ridiculous. I hate to do this to my fellow “academician”, but this kind of writing really warrants harsh criticism.
First, how does the writer manage to put “despite bitter partisanship at the elite and grassroot levels, generated admiration of the leadership of President Barack Obama” in one sentence is beyond me. The ObamaCare, despite the hype from the liberal media from around the world, is a disaster in waiting.
Second, another sentence: “It is indeed an irony that despite the goal of the Indonesian government to attract investors, tourists and innovation, the very security of its human resource does not receive priority attention.” I just don’t see the connection of the two arguments. If we follow the writer’s logic, we should not try to attract investors, tourists and innovation until we provide some kind of free healthcare to all Indonesians. Or maybe we do both at the same time. But how do you provide free goodies if you cannot even attract investors?
Third, perhaps the most sensical one: “A lesson learned from the most liberal economy of the world, i.e. the US, is that one cannot rely solely on the market. The very nature of markets is volatility, shock and even crisis. With markets expanding around the world and borders diminishing among them, volatility is the middle name of any market system. If we care to notice the policies that the US has always taken amid market volatility and crisis, we would find that the US treats the American people as their prime capital. They may even sacrifice pacts made with allies whenever global shocks shake the lives of their citizens.”
Please, scrap those paragraphs as they add nothing to the point made and yet consume valuable space. Fourth, “Unlike Obama, Indonesia’s President SBY is not in the position to prove his skill in translating vision into manageable action. The reputation of Indonesia is not yet a concern to global players.” Who are these global players? “Global” in what sense?

Elwin
Los Angeles

 

I sincerely hope that Indonesia doesn’t embrace the healthcare reform as Obama has done on his own there. Without going to vote he passed this bill on his own and now the US government is being taken to court. In essence Obama has created a socialistic state in America, forcing employers to pay the high medical premiums, anyone not paying will have the funds taken from their bank accounts, violators will also face stiff fines and penalties, the government will tell you what doctors to see and prescribe treatment for you, in end of life care the government will also say how much and when to quit treatment. Is this what Indonesia wants, or can afford? I don’t think so, after my 20 years in living in Indonesia. The public must be made aware of the pros and cons of such a proposal.

Kevin C.
Jakarta

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