Page 20 - Mainstreamer Volume 1 Issue 2 Feb 2023

RECENT RESEARCH

Indonesia: Abdullah Khaerul Azzam Their brains are just wired differently, which affects
how they receive and process information.

Malaysia: Muhammad Aliff Aizat Rahmat

Abdullah Khaerul Azzam

Abdullah Khaerul Azzam was born in the East of
Karawang City in 2016. He is a very quiet boy who Muhammad Aliff Aizat Rahmat
has a strong inclination to isolate himself. Despite
its proximity to Jakarta City, Karawang City remains Raising an autistic child can be a tough
excluded from economic and social developments. experience. Aliff’s story tells tells much about
Abdullah’s parents led a subsistence life. They, like this. Aliff was born in 2004. His family must have
many low-income people, were unable to prioritize been patient as he used to cry incessantly from
education. birth until he was 12 years old. Aliff and his family
faced a lot of challenges as result of Aliff’s unstable
Indonesia, like many ASEAN countries, prioritizes emotions, with tantrums occurring five to six
inclusivity. The amount of allocation for each times a month. He does not know how to care for
region is determined by economic and finance, himself. Thus, he is completely supported by his
hence the distribution of share for the disability family.
sector may be expected in poorer economic
areas. However, the spirit of volunteerism in the Attempts have been made to enroll him in
Karawang City, particularly in the Subdistrict of school in order to equip him better knowledge
Warungbambu, continues to provide a healthy and experience. However, he did not cooperate
welfare environment for Abdullah. and was dismissed at the age of 16. There did
not appear to be much of an issue while he was
Voluntary psychologists are always willing to in primary school. Things worsened when he
help individuals like Abdullah, which is helpful for transferred to a secondary school with facilities
him because he tends to isolate himself. for autism. Private school was not an option for
obvious reasons: it is highly expensive, raising
“When families are unable to respond to autism issues about accessibility and equality (unequal
cases, the role of the community is critical, and this opportunity) among the rich, poor, and rural
is an unusual story from Warungbambu, Karawang families with disabled children.
Timur, West Java, Indonesia,” Dr. Robi Nurhadi
explained. The doctor learned about Abdullah Attempts have been made to enroll him in
from one of Abdullah’s teachers. school in order to equip him better knowledge
and experience. However, he did not cooperate
Abdullah was just 9 years old. Unlike the case and was dismissed at the age of 16. There did
from Singapore, where the person had already not appear to be much of an issue while he was
faced various hardships at the age of 46, not much in primary school. Things worsened when he
can be told about Abdullah, who is still young. transferred to a secondary school with facilities
Although he is autistic, God must have blessed for autism. Private school was not an option for
him with other abilities. In fact, most autistic obvious reasons: it is highly expensive, raising
individuals are just as intelligent as everyone else. issues about accessibility and equality (unequal

19 Vol. 01, Issue 2 | February 2023