Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said he needs time to ponder West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi's idea on making vasectomy become a requirement for the province's residents to access the government's social aid.
"Yes, we need time to comprehend the idea introduced by Mr. Dedi," he remarked in Yogyakarta on Saturday (May 3).
Yusuf emphasized that this proposal needs to be studied carefully because the various social aid programs currently provided by the government are primarily intended as safety nets for vulnerable citizens.
He cited as an example the Family Hope Program (PKH), explaining that it was designed to help economically disadvantaged people fulfill their basic and ultimately become self-reliant.
"Our aim is to help beneficiaries level up their living standards, live independently, and acquire skills," he pointed out.
The minister stressed that adding new conditions for accessing social assistance must take into account religious values, human rights, and broader societal implications.
"Insightful discussions are required if we are to add requirements that are not part of a program's original plan. It is critical that we consider religious values, human rights, and other factors before making any decision," he affirmed.
He also pointed to a fatwa (religious edict) from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), which deems vasectomy forbidden in Islam.
"This (edict) is one of the reasons why we need to address this issue through multisectoral discussions ," he said.
Governor Mulyadi has earlier drawn public attention for his idea on linking eligibility for various forms of social assistance to participation in family planning programs, particularly those involving male contraceptive methods, such as vasectomy.
Speaking in Bandung on Monday (April 28), he explained that the idea aims to drive more equitable aid distribution, preventing it from being concentrated among a limited number of individuals or families.
To support this, the governor stressed the importance of integrating social assistance recipient data with population data, including records of family planning participation.
"The plan is to check the eligibility of prospective aid beneficiaries. If they are participants in family planning, they may get assistance. If not, they should first adopt birth control measures, particularly male methods. I mean it," he remarked.
