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span class="inline inline-left">Proud moment: Jaka Anom Achmad Yusuf (center), a member of the Jakarta Pertuni (Indonesian Association of Visually Impaired People), shares a light moment with Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) chairman Azas Tigor Nainggolan (left) and National University lecturer Mustakim (right) during the inauguration of the new board of the Jakarta Transportation Council at the City Hall on Tuesday. Jaka became the first individual with a disability to be elected into the council. JP/Wendra AjistyatamaWith a visually impaired member of the Jakarta Transportation Council (DTKJ) now on board to represent the disabled, there are hopes that Jakarta will get a public transportation system that is
more accessible for people with disabilities.

The presence of Jaka Anom Ahmad Yusuf is expected to lead to the provision of better access for the disabled.

He said that based on his own experience, it was still very hard for people with disabilities to take public transportation.

“That’s why many people with disabilities choose to just stay at home because they’re afraid of going out by themselves to use public transportation,” he said after the inauguration of the new council members at City Hall on Tuesday.

He said that as the government was currently in the process of constructing a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, it was the ideal time for him to give input on how to make it more accessible for all disabled people.

Jaka also hoped that with his presence on the DTKJ, he could help improve the Bus Rapid Transit system of Transjakarta as well as public buses and minivans.

“The two-year tenure on the council is too short, but my priority is to inject some thoughts that are beneficial for people with disabilities,” he said.

Another DTKJ member, Iskandar Abubakar, said the new team aimed at creating a more thorough public transportation system for all.

“Besides strengthening and improving public transportation and the enforcement of road rules, we’re also trying to improve the quality of the infrastructure by providing more facilities for disabled people,” Iskandar said.

The city administration has issued Regional Regulation No. 10/ 2011 stipulating that all public transportation, education and health centers, as well as other public facilities, should be accessible to people with disabilities.