The athletes' welfare must be included in the athletes' social security until retirement
Jakarta (ANTARA) - House of Representatives (DPR RI) speaker Puan Maharani affirmed that her institution will fight for pension funds for athletes through regulatory arrangements in the National Sports System Bill (RUU SKN), currently under deliberation.

The speaker noted the lack of welfare of athletes entering retirement period is a matter of serious concern for the parliament, so it would pushed through the SKN bill.

"A bonus is not sufficient for ensuring the athletes' welfare as it is only an award for an achievement. The athletes' welfare must be included in the athletes' social security until retirement," she emphasized here, Tuesday.

Maharani explained that the SKN Bill will become a major draft for national sports for the 2021-2045 period, including for various matters pertaining to the national sports system, including athletes' welfare insurance, health insurance, and pension insurance.

Hence, the speaker remarked that through the SKN Bill, the House will encourage athletes, who are no longer productive, to receive a pension fund.

Highlighting the Kompas Research and Development survey data, Maharani noted that as many as 84.2 percent of the respondents, who are active athletes, do not have old-age insurance.

Meanwhile, according to the survey, some 75.2 percent of former athletes do not have old-age insurance, while 35.2 percent of the athletes, who are respondents, claim to have no health insurance.

"How is it that the national athletes, who have sacrificed their youth for the sake of the nation and state, do not have social security in their old age. The state must immediately fix this," she stressed.

The DPR speaker affirmed that her side will fight for the athlete's pension fund to become a part of the National Social Security System (SJSN) Program.

Maharani explained that the pension fund of athletes is stipulated in Article 28H, paragraph (3), of the 1945 Constitution that affirms every person is entitled to social security that enables
his/her integral self-development as a dignified human being.

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Translator: Imam B, Raka Adji
Editor: Sri Haryati
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