The Polemic Of The Merger Of Eijkman's LBM To BRIN, What's The Fate Of Researchers?

JAKARTA - The Indonesian House of Representatives strongly responded to the polemic of merging a number of research institutions, including the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology (LBM) into the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). Most highlighted is the fate of employees and researchers at the research institute. The reason is, there are 120 scientists and staff at LBM Eijkman who are non-civil servants who will be laid off without severance pay. Deputy Chairman of Commission VII DPR Eddy Soeparno, researchers from LBM Eijkman can be accommodated to institutions that will indeed become a new unit, namely the Research Center Molecular Biology (PRBM) Eijkman. Because producing scientists takes time, investment and experiences.

"We ask that researchers be empowered, because developing researchers and creating researchers takes time, requires investment and requires experience to get researchers and it's not easy to get," said Eddy, Monday, January 3.

The PAN politician also advised that researchers could be accommodated and accommodated in the new unit. There are no researchers, let alone productive ones, left or laid off. If there are any, they must be communicated and coordinated with Commission VII DPD as a partner of BRIN. It will monitor and ensure that scientists from LBM Eijkman are empowered.

"Sure, we will definitely monitor it. Because we come back again, to create researchers is not easy, it can't be 24 hours, it takes time, they have to be educated, they have to get research experience, so if we leave them, let alone lay off, especially those who are productive , very unfortunate. That is one of our focuses so that researchers do not leave and must be discussed with us as partners of BRIN, "said Eddy. Meanwhile, member of Commission VI of the DPR, Achmad Baidowi, warned that researchers could still be accommodated to continue developing the world of research. "In the future, how to provide certainty to these researchers. said Baidowi, Monday, January 3.

Even if it is merged, the Secretary of the DPR PPP faction hopes that the presence of BRIN can strengthen research in Indonesia, which so far has not received support from the government.

"The merger is a consequence of the presence of BRIN as an institution in charge of research. The presence of BRIN must also strengthen research practices," said Awiek. Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, reminded that the merger of the Eijkman molecular institution into the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) must pay attention to the rights of employees and researchers. Because according to circulating rumors, hundreds of scientists are threatened with dismissal. "Hopefully the research process can run well, smoothly, and effectively with this fusion process," said Dasco at the DPR Building, Monday, January 3. "But what needs to be considered is the rights of employees and researchers. Do not forget their rights in this case of smelting," he continued.

Furthermore, the chairman of the DPR in the field of Coordination and Finance said he would ask the relevant commission to supervise the merger of a number of research institutions, including Eijkman.

"Later we will ask the relevant technical commission to supervise this smelting," concluded Dasco. Eijkman's Employees and Researchers Get Assurance of Employment Status and Financial Rights Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Laksana Tri Handoko claims that employees and researchers from the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology (LBM) who have merged into BRIN will receive certainty of employment status and financial rights. This is in accordance with Law (UU) Number 11 of 2019 concerning the National System of Science and Technology.

"That's right, because all of them follow the scheme according to the applicable laws," said Laksana, Monday, January 3.

Regarding the comparison in terms of honorarium and salary received before and after merging into BRIN, Laksana stated that in general the honorarium was official and could only be paid below the regional minimum wage (UMR) of DKI.

"So, with the process we will increase their financial rights," he said.

According to him, currently BRIN employees consist of 40 civil servants who immediately become BRIN employees and 71 honorary researchers. Later, they can choose one of five options offered by BRIN.

First, civil servant researchers continued to become civil servants of BRIN as well as being appointed as researchers. Second, honorary researchers over the age of 40 and doctoral degrees can participate in the acceptance of the state civil apparatus (ASN) for government employees with a 2021 work agreement (PPPK).

Third, honorary researchers aged less than 40 years and S-3 can take part in the 2021 PNS ASN admission. Fourth, honorary non-S-3 researchers can continue their studies with the by-research and research assistantship (RA) scheme, some of them continue as lab operator in Cibinong, for those who are not interested in continuing their studies.

Fifth, the non-researcher honorarium was taken over by the RSCM while following the plan to transfer the LBM Eijkman building to the RSCM at the request of the Ministry of Health, which had owned the assets from the start.

"For those who have doctoral degrees, all have participated in the ASN admissions which have been in process since October 2021 and have been accepted. We don't know about those who take part in the by-research, because admissions follow the semester schedule on campus in May," he explained.

It is explained in one of the options, honorary researchers who graduate from S-3 can take part in ASN admissions. Meanwhile, those aged over 40 use the PPPK pathway, while those under 40 years old use the PNS admission route.

"As far as I know, all those who took the test, they passed because the final results were out," said Laksana.

Meanwhile, Acting Head of the Center for Molecular Biology Research (PRBM) Eijkman Wien Kusharyoto added that as of September 2021 there were 155 total employees consisting of 42 ASN, 17 PPNPN and 96 honorarium. There are 95 research staff, 24 ASN (including five professors), 71 honorary research staff.

“However, some may end their careers at Eijkman due to age, postgraduate studies abroad, within the country or choose to work elsewhere. For those who are data research-based students, they are recruited again as research assistants and carry out their research at PRBM Eijkman with tuition and research costs borne by BRIN," said Wien.

Wien said that the previous ASN researchers did not have a functional research position. After joining BRIN, most of them have obtained functional research positions, thus obtaining functional allowances and performance allowances according to their functional research positions.

"What is certain is that after merging into BRIN, the official salary and benefits are higher than before," said Wien.