INDONESIA
Disabled Indonesian dentist, Romi Syofpa Ismail (pictured) has won her fight for a job with the South Solok District Government after the Federal Government intervened to overturn a ruling that she “did not meet requirements”.
Her story was featured in PS News on 12 August (link here).
Wheelchair-bound Ms Romi’s case put Indonesia’s disability policies in the spotlight after it was revealed she had been refused work with the District Government even though she had finished first in the Public Service examination.
“We’ve looked into the case and agreed that Ms Romi should remain as a Civil Servant candidate,” Presidential Staff Office Deputy, Jaleswari Pramodhawardhani said in a press release.
Like all Public Servants, Ms Romi will spend a year on probation before becoming eligible to be appointed.
According to Mr Jaleswari, the South Solok Government had misinterpreted the rule that required Public Service candidates to be “physically and mentally healthy”.
“The case should serve as a lesson for other regional Governments to remind them that disabled people have the same rights as able-bodied people to find jobs in the Civil Service,” Mr Jaleswari said.
“Regional Governments and State-owned companies are obliged to employ people with disabilities. At least two per cent of their staff must be made up of disabled people.”
Head of South Solok District, Muzni Zakaria said he would now make sure that one out of three positions in his regional Government would be filled by people with disabilities.
“We will find a position for Ms Romi in the Provincial General Hospital,” Mr Muzni said.
Ms Romi has been using a wheelchair since 2016 when she lost the use of her legs after giving birth to her second child. She had been working on a contract basis in South Solok’s Public Health Unit since 2015.
Jakarta, 8 August, 2019
