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Govt mulls controversial plan to make vasectomy a requirement for assistance recipients
Dedi further stated that limiting the number of children among underprivileged individuals would help ensure that government assistance is distributed more equitably, rather than being concentrated on families with many children.
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West Java governor-elect Dedi Mulyadi (center) salutes after a plenary meeting at the West Java Council building to announce the result of the province's regional head elections on Jan. 10. (Antara/Novrian Arbi)
T
he Social Affairs Ministry is considering a controversial proposal by West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi to make vasectomy a requirement for individuals seeking government assistance and scholarships.
A vasectomy is a procedure in which a man’s tubes that carry sperm are cut or blocked to prevent pregnancy, effectively making a man sterile. It is considered a permanent form of birth control, although in some cases, it can be reversed through another surgical procedure, though success rates for reversal are not guaranteed.
"Integrating family planning in the government assistance program is a good idea, but we still need time to study the proposal in detail. There’s a set process for distributing government aid, and we can’t change it on a whim," Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said on Wednesday, as reported by Kompas.
Dedi recently proposed the idea to Saifullah, highlighting that many underprivileged families have numerous children despite struggling to provide for their basic needs.
"I met a child selling cakes at a town square in Majalengka Regency. When I spoke to his father, he was unemployed, had ten children and his wife was pregnant with their eleventh," he said on Monday.
"[...] If they can't provide a decent standard of living for their children, they should stop having more," he added.
Dedi further stated that limiting the number of children among underprivileged individuals would help ensure that government assistance is distributed more equitably, rather than being concentrated on families with many children.
