Not Budgeted Yet, Batanghari Athletes with Disabilities Don't Get Bonuses

"If totaled, the value of the bonus is Rp 980 million," he said after a limited meeting in the Secretary's room of Batanghari, Muara Bulian, Batanghari, Jambi, on Wednesday (24/4/2024).

Before the meeting, at around 09.00 WIB, around 50 athletes with disabilities launched a peaceful protest. The masses started a march, aka a long march from the NPC secretariat to the Batanghari Regent's Office which is 1 kilometer away. In front of the office yard, the crowd held speeches.

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Deputy Chairman of NPC Batanghari, Heri Candra, stated that the achievements of the athletes have brought Batanghari to become the overall champion in the Peparprov Jambi 2023. They successfully obtained 56 gold medals, 19 silver, and 4 bronze.

The athletes were previously promised to receive a bonus of Rp 10 million for a gold medal, Rp 5 million for a silver medal, and Rp 2.5 million for a bronze medal. With the athletes' medal acquisitions, if totaled, it amounts to Rp 980 million.

This time we are demanding our rights because the bonus we were supposed to get was not disbursed. This has been repeated since 2021.

He regretted the Batanghari Regency Government's delay in disbursing bonus funds. Meanwhile, during the Jambi Province Sports Week, KONI athletes who won medals have already received their bonus funds. The total amount is Rp 1.7 billion. "KONI athletes have received achievement bonuses directly, so why do disabled athletes not receive equal rights," said Heri.

Paralympic athlete Sobirin said that he won three gold medals in shot put, javelin throw, and discus throw at the previous provincial championship. He even managed to break a record. "He should have received a bonus of Rp 30 million."

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According to him, the bonus funds from the local government have been stagnating since 2021. In Peparprov 2021, athletes also did not receive medal bonuses. Although they succeeded in making the district the overall champion. At that time, the athletes had tried to demand their rights but did not receive a response. "This time we demand our rights because the bonus that we should have received has not been disbursed. This has been recurring since 2021," he said.

In fact, the NPC had proposed allocating the athlete bonus budget a year earlier, but the proposal did not receive serious attention.

Head of the Batanghari Regency Youth and Sports Service, Sargawi, admitted that bonus funds for outstanding NPC athletes were not included in this year's APBD proposal, so the allocation of bonus funds was only for regional KONI athletes. However, his party will propose an allocation of funds for the outstanding Paralympic athletes' bonuses in the discussion of the Revised APBD in July.

NPC Jambi Province Manager, M Usman, regrets the lack of seriousness of the regional government in nurturing disabled athletes. This has caused disappointment among the athletes who feel belittled.

"In fact, the NPC had proposed allocating the athlete bonus budget a year earlier, but the proposal did not receive serious attention," he said.

In 2021, athletes also did not receive bonuses for medal achievements. At the Peparprov event, NPC Batanghari won 49 gold medals, 22 silver, and 9 bronze. When added together, the bonus value earned by Paralympic athletes amounts to IDR 850 million, but it has not yet been given.