Hidayat Nur Wahid Asks For The COVID-19 Vaccine To Pay Attention To The Halal Aspects

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Hidayat Nur Wahid asked the government to try to get a vaccine to deal with COVID-19 still has to pay attention to its halal aspects

Hidayat, in his release received in Jakarta, said that this was also a form of support for the statement of the Indonesian Vice President who is also the General Chair of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) KH Makruf Amin so that vaccines still pay attention to the halal aspect.

"I support the commitment of Vice President KH Ma'ruf Amin who emphasized that there must be a halal certificate for the COVID-19 vaccine from Sinovac from China before it is distributed. This should be an attitude and commitment from the start, not at the end of the process, "he said, quoted by Antara, August 31.

This, according to the Deputy Chairperson of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Syuro Council, is very important because it is in line with existing laws and regulations, especially Law Number 33 of 2014 concerning the guarantee of halal products.

Hidayat assessed that the halal certificate obligation is an effort to fulfill the rights of consumers in Indonesia, which has a Muslim majority. This needs to be done so that there is no rejection from consumers who are predominantly Muslim.

It can also present widespread social unrest, leading to stress and panic, so that it does not help efforts to cure exposure to COVID-19.

"The direction of the Vice President who is also the Head of MUI, Prof. KH Ma'ruf Amin, must really be paid attention to by the government and the COVID-19 Task Force since the beginning of the process, so that we can support it together," he said.

Hidayat also requested that the testing and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia is not only monopolized by vaccines originating from one party or one particular country, such as China alone.

"Apart from having to ensure the efficacy of the vaccine, do not let Indonesia mortgage the health sovereignty of its citizens to one party, in this case China, even though it has not proven the efficacy of the vaccines it produces. The trials in Bandung have not shown any results, ”he said.

Hidayat argued that the Indonesian government should not rely on ordering the COVID-19 vaccine from that one country. In addition to maximizing policy and budget alignments, the government should also independently be able to find a vaccine for COVID-19.

"The COVID-19 vaccine, created by Indonesian experts, also maximizes cooperation with several countries that have announced their findings and their readiness to cooperate with Indonesia to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic," Hidayat said.

Hidayat noted that there are already several countries besides China that offer the vaccines they have found.

According to him, there are many countries that have submitted vaccine bids to Indonesia, such as from Russia and Australia. There are also countries that have announced the process of discovering the COVID-19 vaccine, such as the UK, South Korea and the United States.

"This also needs to be of concern to the government. The government should also pay attention to the Indonesian Doctors Association, which reminds us not to rush to buy the COVID-19 vaccine from China, which trials in Indonesia are still 50-50," he said again.

Hidayat emphasized that the effort to establish relations with various countries in the world is indeed a form of Indonesia's foreign policy, namely free and active, so as not to create a block to one country or group in the world.

"Do not let Indonesia forget the principle of free and active foreign relations, especially by mortgaging the sovereignty of our nation and state to parties whose vaccines have not been proven to be effective and suitable for Indonesia, and have not proven their halalness either," he said.

Still reported by Antara, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin advised that the pandemic problem should not be aggravated by polemics related to halal vaccines, which are currently still in the process of clinical trials, said the spokesman for the Vice President Masduki Baidlowi in his statement in Jakarta, Monday, August 31.

"This can cause upheaval in the community who are concerned about the halal status of vaccines. The Vice President's message is not to let this pandemic problem be exacerbated by the polemic of the halal vaccines, ”said Masduki.

To ensure that the COVID-19 vaccine can be safely given to the public, Masduki continued, the Vice President asked various halal certification bodies to be proactive in carrying out their halal certification.

"The Vice President emphasized that the examination process for compliance with the halal standard of vaccines must go hand in hand with the clinical trial and production stages, so as not to interfere with the vaccination schedule," he added.

In addition to ensuring that the halal process does not hamper clinical trials, production and distribution of vaccines, the Vice President also ensures that vaccines in circulation are not halal certified, he said.

Previously, at a meeting with PT Bio Farma in Jakarta, Thursday (27/8), Ma'ruf Amin asked for the halal certification process for the COVID-19 vaccine to run quickly.

"For halal, it is actually not that difficult. If the product is really needed, then there is a way out to obtain the halal certificate. The key is that vaccines and vaccines must be backed up by a halal certificate," said Ma'ruf Amin.

Ma'ruf asked the halal certification bodies to coordinate and move quickly along with the production process and clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The institutions in question include the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH), the Institute for the Assessment of Food, Drugs and the Indonesian Ulema Council (LPPOM MUI) and the MUI Fatwa Commission.

PT Bio Farma is working with a Chinese pharmaceutical company, Sinovac, to produce the COVID-19 vaccine, which is currently undergoing a third phase of clinical trials.

After the third phase of the clinical trial has passed, the COVID-19 vaccine will be ready for mass production through distribution permits and halal certification.