Oleh: Lena Tama*
[toggle title=”English Version”] [Coverage] Voices of Focal Points Amid E-KTP Polemic
By: Lena Tama
SuaraKita.org – Ownership of E-KTP (Electronic National ID) is a basic human right that every Indonesian citizen deserves to have, or at least that’s how it’s supposed to be. The reality is, a large number of citizens within the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgenders, are still struggling to earn that right due to the discrimination against them from the neighbors and the government bodies.
However, the fight for that right finally bears fruit thanks to the increasing number of queer people who finally possess their E-KTP. Since 2020, Perkumpulan Suara Kita (Our Voice Organization) began a project to push the creation of E-KTP and KK (Family Card) among the transgender community across Indonesia with a number of community representatives, dubbed “Focal Points” guiding the process hand-in-hand alongside the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Kemendagri), Population and Civil Records Department (Dukcapil), Social Department (Dinsos), and other government agencies until they have published the E-KTP.
Per 2023, the project has supported around 500 transgenders across Indonesia as they finally obtained their E-KTP along with a number of other government services like the state-owned Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS) and taxpayer identification number (NPWP). As the ongoing project continues to thrive each passing day, the number should increase alongside transgender friends’ awareness towards the importance of owning an E-KTP.
In addition, the whole process results in the increasing number of Focal Points thanks to several transgender friends voluntarily expanding the connection and awareness to a number of areas that haven’t been reached yet.
But above all else, the sense of finally owning E-KTP after years of relentless struggles bear positive fruits in many aspects, as proven by one of the newer Focal Point members in Central Jakarta, Septi.
Like a lot of transgender friends, Septi initially didn’t have E-KTP since moving out to Jakarta 20 years ago until she finally owned one in August 2021 with the help of a fellow Focal Point named Rosa and Suara Kita. After gaining knowledge of the entire process, Septi volunteered to become a Focal Point to help other fellow transgenders while she herself experienced a sizable amount of positive growth from it all.
“Ever since I gained E-KTP, my confidence has reached a new high. Now, we have access to BPJS, NPWP, and birth certificate, along with social assistance services that we deserve which most common people can get almost effortlessly,” Septi said. “More importantly, we finally have our footings within the society. We have an identity that the nation and citizens acknowledge.”
Adding to that, Septi has also gained a new permanent job at a social NGO thanks to her vast experience and knowledge as a Focal Point which she previously couldn’t get due to the lack of E-KTP in her possession. With this benefit in mind and much more, she hopes to help fellow transgenders gain those positive effects as well.
Such experience also resonates with Mak Echi, another fellow transgender from Joglo, West Jakarta who has been an activist since the 2000’s for her HIV friends and transgenders who don’t have E-KTP. After joining the E-KTP project, she has helped at least 100 transgenders in West Jakarta get their national ID who then expressed the benefits they could finally experience such as opening a bank account and financial loans, as well as a stable job.
Furthermore, the whole process to obtain E-KTP in recent years is much easier than the methods Mak Echi experienced prior to this. At one point, the head of neighborhood units (RT) near her went as far as demanding local transgender friends some ‘bribery’ money in order to publish their E-KTP.
But now, with a more standardized process in cooperation with several government agencies along with her personal experiences, Mak Echi finds it way easier for her to help her transgender friends without needing to spend a single penny.
That said, despite all the positive experiences, the fight for LGBTQ+ community to gain E-KTP is still rigged with obstacles as discriminations during the process still occur frequently to the transgender friends.
“There was a case in which two trans women filed a request to change their domicile on their E-KTP and KK, but the Population and Civil Records Department ignored their request by claiming that these two never filed a single document for that,” Mak Echi said when explaining her experience as a Focal Point. “Thanks to that, the process took three months to complete and the government officers only said to us, ‘Oh we’re sorry, the documents must’ve slipped’.”
Ownership of KTP is a right for every citizen
Mak Echi’s case is neither the first nor the last amid the struggles the LGBTQ+ community face during the process of obtaining E-KTP despite the fact that the country itself has stated that the ownership of KTP is a right for every citizen regardless of their gender identity, as written on a circular letter published by the Population and Civil Records Department on February 2, 2021. [1] which stated that every citizen of Indonesia deserves a non-discriminative public service.
According to the circular letter, Director of Population and Civil Records Prof. Zudan Arif Fakrulloh (ZAF) declared that the Population and Civil Records Department had served and published E-KTP for transgenders, disabled people, and indigenous people through a process that would have to be faster and easier without any discrimination.
Therefore, each government employee serving the citizens in multiple social institutions such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Population and Civil Records Department, and Social Department must not discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community and should provide equal treatment as they would serve most people.
Relentless struggle to obtain E-KTP still continues
Local LGBTQ+ community experiences discriminations from the neighbors, friends, and family which caused many people either lacking or losing their identification documents like E-KTP, KK, and birth certificate.
Based on the ongoing E-KTP project and the experiences shared by numerous Focal Points like Septi and Mak Echi, around hundreds of transgender friends have yet to obtain E-KTP once in their life or that their identity card got damaged or lost due to having to constantly move away from one place to another in order to avoid physical persecutions.
As a result, many transgender friends suffer huge ordeals which result in their loss of confidence. They haven’t received a single social assistance service in their life and cannot create a bank account and a stable job which lead them to work numerous low-paying, unstable jobs like busking. Some even don’t have a proper living space due to not having a stable and decent income to rent a space.
It’s because of this that obtaining E-KTP becomes a huge step for the LGBTQ+ community. By having an identity card at the palm of their hands, many state-owned facilities and opportunities that help improve their welfare become available which may lead to a better life. Because of that, the relentless struggle to obtain E-KTP still continues.[/toggle]
SuaraKita.org – Terhitung sejak tahun 2020, Perkumpulan Suara Kita telah menjalankan proyek pembuatan E-KTP dan KK (kartu keluarga) bagi komunitas transgender di seluruh Indonesia. Sejumlah perwakilan dari komunitas di tiap wilayah yang disebut Focal Point akan membantu mengurus proses pembuatannya dengan Kementerian Dalam Negeri (Kemendagri), Dinas Kependudukan dan Pencatatan Sipil (Dukcapil), Dinas Sosial (Dinsos), dan instansi lainnya sampai kartu identitas tersebut terbit.
Hingga tahun 2023, proyek ini telah berhasil membantu sekitar 500 transgender di seluruh Indonesia mendapatkan E-KTP serta berbagai fasilitas negara lainnya, seperti kartu kesehatan BPJS (badan penyelenggara jaminan sosial) dan kartu pajak NPWP (nomor pokok wajib pajak). Angka tersebut akan kian bertambah seiring proyek ini berlangsung dan kesadaran teman-teman transgender untuk memiliki kartu identitas makin meningkat.
Selain itu, proses pembuatan ini sendiri telah melahirkan sejumlah Focal Point baru yang membantu menambah jaringan di beberapa wilayah yang belum memiliki koordinasi. Namun yang lebih penting, dengan memiliki E-KTP ini sendiri, mereka mulai merasakan berbagai dampak positif secara langsung maupun tidak langsung, seperti yang dirasakan Septi, seorang Focal Point baru di wilayah Jakarta Pusat.
Seperti teman-teman transgender lainnya, Septi belum memiliki E-KTP sejak pindah ke Jakarta 20 tahun lalu. Pada bulan Agustus 2021, barulah ia memperoleh kartu identitas tersebut setelah dibantu oleh Focal Point Rosa dan Suara Kita. Sesudah memiliki E-KTP dan memahami proses pembuatannya, Septi mengajukan diri menjadi Focal Point untuk membantu teman-teman transgender lainnya. Pengalaman tersebut telah memberikan berbagai dampak positif baginya.
“Semenjak aku memegang E-KTP, rasa kepercayaan diri makin naik. Sekarang, kami bisa membuat BPJS, NPWP, dan akta kelahiran, lalu punya akses bantuan sosial seperti masyarakat pada umumnya,” ujar Septi. “Tapi yang lebih penting, identitas dan keberadaan kami makin diakui negara dan masyarakat,” lanjutnya.
Selain itu, Septi mengaku telah mendapatkan pekerjaan tetap yang baru di sebuah yayasan sosial berkat pengalamannya sebagai Focal Point. Pekerjaan yang sebelumnya sulit didapatkan lantaran tidak adanya identitas pun, sekarang lebih mudah ia dapatkan berkat kepemilikan E-KTP. Atas berbagai manfaat ini, ia berharap makin banyak teman-teman transgender yang dapat merasakannya juga.
Demikian pula yang dirasakan Mak Echi, seorang transgender asal Joglo, Jakarta Barat yang juga telah mengabdikan dirinya sejak tahun 2000-an sebagai aktivis dalam membantu teman-teman HIV dan transgender yang belum memiliki E-KTP. Dari proyek E-KTP ini, Mak Echi telah membantu setidaknya 100 teman transgender di wilayah Jakarta Barat. Setelah bantuan tersebut, mereka pun bercerita bahwa kartu identitas ini telah membantu mereka memperoleh rekening bank dan ajuan kredit serta pekerjaan tetap.
Terlebih, proses pembuatan E-KTP ini jauh lebih mudah dibanding yang Mak Echi lalui sebelumnya. Pada suatu titik, bagian RT (rukun tetangga) daerahnya kerap meminta teman-teman transgender serta warga sekitar sejumlah uang ‘pelicin’ agar kartu identitas mereka dapat terbit.
Kini, berkat proses pembuatan E-KTP yang sudahterstandardisasi dari instansi-instansi pemerintah yang terlibat serta pembelajaran dari prosesnya sendiri, Mak Echi makin mudah membantu teman-teman transgender memperoleh kartu identitas tanpa perlu mengorek dompet sepeserpun.
Akan tetapi, perjuangan komunitas LGBTQ+ untuk memperoleh kartu identitas masih mengalami banyak rintangan. Pasalnya, kasus diskriminasi dalam memperoleh E-KTP sendiri masih kerap terjadi pada teman-teman transgender.
“Ada kejadian dua transpuan yang mengajukan proses pindah domisili untuk KTP dan KK mereka, tapi pihak Dukcapil mengabaikan mereka karena mengaku dokumen-dokumennya tidak ada sama sekali. Padahal, teman-teman sudah menaruh dokumennya,” ujar Mak Echi terkait kasus diskriminasi yang beliau alami ketika menjadi Focal Point. “Akibatnya, itu proses berlanjut sampai tiga bulan dan pihak Dukcapil ngakunya hanya ‘Oh maaf, dokumennya keselip’.”
Memiliki KTP adalah hak seluruh warga negara
Kasus Mak Echi tersebut bukanlah yang pertama maupun terakhir dalam perjuangan komunitas LGBTQ+ memperoleh E-KTP, padahal negara sendiri sudah menyatakan bahwa memiliki KTP adalah hak seluruh warga negara, terlepas dari identitas gender mereka. Hal ini tertuang dalam surat edaran Dukcapil[1] yang terbit pada tanggal 2 Februari 2021, yang menyatakan bahwa tiap warga Indonesia berhak memperoleh pelayanan publik yang nondiskriminatif.
Menurut surat edaran tersebut, Dirjen Dukcapil Kementerian Dalam Negeri, Prof. Zudan Arif Fakrulloh (ZAF) menyatakan bahwa Dukcapil telah melayani dan menerbitkan E-KTP untuk komunitas transgender, disabilitas, dan masyarakat adat terpencil melalui proses yang kini harus lebih cepat dan mudah tanpa adanya diskriminasi.
Oleh karena itu, individu yang bertugas mengabdi masyarakat di instansi-instansi sosial seperti Kemendagri, Dukcapil, dan Dinsos tidak boleh berlaku diskriminatif kepada komunitas LGBTQ+ dan seharusnya melayani seperti halnya mereka melayani masyarakat pada umumnya.
Perjuangan memperoleh E-KTP masih berlanjut
Komunitas LGBTQ+mengalami diskriminasi dari lingkungan keluarga, teman, dan tetangga yang mengakibatkan banyak dari mereka kekurangan dokumen identitas berupa E-KTP, KK, dan akta kelahiran.
Berdasarkan program E-KTP yang masih berjalan serta pengalaman dari sejumlah Focal Point seperti Septi dan Mak Echi, sekitar ratusan teman transgender mengaku belum pernah memiliki E-KTP atau kartu identitasnya hilang akibat harus rutin berpindah tempat karena ancaman fisik.
Akibatnya, teman-teman transgender mengalami banyak kesulitan hidup yang berujung pada jatuhnya rasa percaya diri. Mereka tidak memperoleh bantuan sosial, sulit membayar biaya kesehatan ketika sakit, tidak dapat membuat rekening bank, dan sulit memperoleh pekerjaan tetap hingga harus bergantung pada sejumlah pekerjaan lepas yang membahayakan seperti mengamen. Tidak sedikit juga yang berujung tidak memiliki tempat tinggal yang tetap karena penghasilannya yang kurang stabil dan kurang cukup.
Karenanya, memiliki E-KTP merupakan satu langkah besar untuk komunitas LGBTQ+. Dengan adanya kartu identitas di genggaman mereka, berbagai fasilitas negara dan kesempatan akan terbuka demi meningkatkan kesejahteraan hidup yang lebih baik. Maka dari itu, perjuangan memperoleh E-KTP masih dan akan terus berlanjut.
Referensi:
*Penulis adalah seorang penerjemah dan penulis lepas dari tahun 2016, Lena mulai mendalami dunia jurnalistik pada tahun 2020 bersama The Jakarta Post. Selain menulis, ia juga terlibat dalam pelatihan keamanan sosial dan pergerakan aktivisme untuk komunitas LGBTQ.
