Accessibility Debate: Pontianak’s ‘Sticker’ Guiding Blocks Spark Public Scrutiny and Policy Review

JAKARTA – A recent installation at the Integrated Building of Pontianak City, located on Jalan Sutoyo, has ignited a firestorm of criticism across social media and accessibility advocacy circles. The controversy centers on the use of yellow adhesive stickers designed to mimic the tactile paving—commonly known as guiding blocks—intended for the visually impaired. As photographs of the installation circulated, questions regarding public safety, the standard of infrastructure for persons with disabilities, and the efficacy of government planning have come to the forefront of local discourse.

The Core Controversy: Function Over Aesthetics

The installation features yellow, sticker-like material applied directly to the surface of the stairs leading to the building’s main entrance. The path originates from the lobby floor, traverses the individual stair treads, and terminates near the entrance door. In standard design, tactile paving consists of two primary textures: parallel lines (indicating a safe path forward) and raised dots (signaling a decision point, stop, or hazard).

While the Pontianak installation mimics these visual cues, the choice of material—a thin, adhesive-backed film rather than durable, embedded tactile tiles—has drawn sharp rebuke. Experts and citizens alike have raised concerns that the sticker material lacks the necessary depth and texture required for visually impaired individuals to detect the path reliably with a cane or through the soles of their shoes. Furthermore, applying such material to stair treads introduces a potential slip hazard, particularly during the rainy season common in Kalimantan, raising questions about whether the installation truly serves the intended demographic or merely acts as a superficial visual marker.

Chronology of the Installation

The emergence of the issue began late September 2026, when local visitors to the Integrated Building noticed workers applying the yellow strips. By September 30, images of the "sticker path" had gone viral on various social media platforms, with users tagging the Pontianak City Government and questioning the logic of placing guiding blocks on vertical staircases—an area that is inherently dangerous for those with visual impairments to navigate without handrails or proper guidance.

Timeline of Events:

Late September 2026: Installation of the adhesive yellow strips commences at the Integrated Building of Pontianak.
September 29, 2026: Images of the installation are shared widely on social media, drawing criticism for the material choice and the impracticality of placing tactile indicators on stairs.
September 30, 2026: Local media, including detikKalimantan, reports on the public outcry.
September 30, 2026: The Acting (Plt) Head of the Education and Culture Office of Pontianak City issues a formal response clarifying the project’s status as a "mock-up" or simulation.

The Government’s Defense: A Case of "Simulated Design"

In response to the growing backlash, Hermawan Eko Wibowo, the Acting Head of the Education and Culture Office of Pontianak City, stepped forward to provide context. According to Hermawan, the controversial installation is not the final product, but rather a preliminary "mock-up" conducted in collaboration with the Department of Housing and Settlement Areas (Perkim).

"The material currently installed is indeed for simulation or mock-up purposes. The visualization serves to help us understand how the implementation might look and function in a real-world setting," Hermawan stated during an interview.

He emphasized that the city government is currently in the process of evaluating several alternatives to improve accessibility at the facility. The goal, he claimed, is to gather data on what works best for the building’s specific architectural layout. Hermawan noted that the government is weighing two primary options: the installation of formal tactile paving on the stairs or, more ideally, the construction of a permanent ramp (ram) to bypass the stairs entirely.

Accessibility Standards: What the Law Requires

The debate in Pontianak is not merely about a "sticker" versus a "tile"; it is a microcosm of a larger national struggle to enforce Law No. 8 of 2016 regarding Persons with Disabilities. This law mandates that all public facilities must be accessible, safe, and dignified for all citizens.

Technical Requirements for Guiding Blocks

Under the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR) guidelines, tactile paving must meet specific criteria:

Material Durability: Must be made of heavy-duty, non-slip material such as concrete, ceramic, or polymer, embedded into the floor structure to ensure longevity.
Height and Texture: The raised profiles must have a specific height (usually 5mm) to provide clear tactile feedback.
Contrast: The yellow color is intended for those with low vision, not just the blind, to distinguish the path from the surrounding floor.
Placement: Tactile paving should generally be placed on level surfaces to guide users safely. Placing them on stair treads is considered an unconventional and potentially hazardous practice that contradicts standard accessibility guidelines.

Critics argue that by even testing a "sticker" solution, the city government reveals a lack of technical expertise regarding the fundamental needs of the disabled community. "If you are conducting a mock-up, the mock-up should at least adhere to the minimum safety standards of the final product," says one local disability advocate. "Using a sticker doesn’t just fail to provide guidance; it creates a false sense of security."

Implications for Public Infrastructure

The Pontianak incident has broader implications for how Indonesian municipalities approach inclusive design.

1. The Cost of "Trial and Error"

Critics argue that government budgets should not be spent on "mock-ups" that use substandard materials if those materials do not effectively replicate the experience of the actual installation. Critics suggest that 3D modeling or consulting with disability organizations prior to installation would be more cost-effective and respectful of the community.

2. Inclusive Consultation

The primary criticism leveled against the Pontianak government is the lack of consultation with the very people the infrastructure is intended to serve. Had organizations representing the visually impaired been consulted, they likely would have advised against placing guiding blocks on stairs—an area where a visually impaired person should be guided to a ramp or an elevator instead.

3. Future Budgetary Allocations

Hermawan Eko Wibowo’s mention of "hoping to secure a budget" for future improvements suggests that the current accessibility project is still in its infancy. This raises concerns about the quality of infrastructure in other government buildings across the city. If the Integrated Building, a central hub, is currently relying on "simulations," one must wonder about the state of accessibility in more remote government offices.

Moving Forward: The Path to True Inclusion

The Pontianak City Government now faces the task of rectifying the public perception and delivering a solution that is both functional and compliant with national standards. As the city moves from the "analysis phase" to the "implementation phase," several steps are recommended:

Inclusive Design Workshops: The government should invite disability advocacy groups to participate in the design process, ensuring that the "mock-up" phase includes the end-users.
Prioritizing Ramps: The city should pivot away from trying to make stairs "accessible" via tactile paving and instead focus on the construction of permanent, ADA-compliant ramps or elevators, which provide universal access.
Transparency in Procurement: Public funds used for accessibility projects must be scrutinized to ensure that the materials selected are of a quality that guarantees safety and longevity.

As the residents of Pontianak await the removal of the controversial stickers, the incident serves as a stark reminder that accessibility is not a "check-box" exercise. It is a fundamental civil right. Whether the Pontianak City Government learns from this episode will be determined by the final design of the Integrated Building’s entrance—a project that has now become a litmus test for the city’s commitment to its most vulnerable citizens.

In the coming months, the Department of Housing and Settlement Areas will be expected to present a revised plan. The public, the media, and disability advocates remain watchful, hoping that the next version of the "path" will be one that truly leads toward inclusion, rather than just a sticky, yellow patch on a set of stairs.