Closed Meeting Of President And Minister Of Health Trigger Reshuffle Speculation, This Is The Fact

JAKARTA - Cabinet Secretary (Seskab) Teddy Indra Wijaya dismissed rumors that a limited meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin discussed the red and white Cabinet reshuffle.

Seskab Teddy explained that the meeting which took place at the Indonesian Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday, June 3, discussed the government's strategy to increase the number of doctors, and improve the welfare of doctors.

"The meeting between Mr. President Prabowo and the Minister of Health discussed increasing the number of doctors, and (increasing) the welfare of doctors, not discussing the reshuffle," said Seskab Teddy, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, June 5.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin met with President Prabowo to report an increasing trend of COVID-19 cases in several countries, and the situation of transmission in Indonesia. In addition, the President and the Minister of Health also discussed other strategic issues, including increasing the number and welfare of doctors in Indonesia.

The limited meeting between the President and the Minister of Health lasted approximately 2.5 hours. Teddy's Cabinet also attended the meeting.

After the meeting, Budi Gunadi said that the COVID-19 case came from a subvariant that was categorized as non-lethal for the sufferers, namely the Omicron JN.1 subvariant. In recent weeks, the trend of increasing COVID-19 cases has emerged in several Asian countries, including Thailand, Singapore, and Hong Kong (China).

Apart from that, Budi Gunadi asked the public not to panic in response to the emergence of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia.

"These increases are relatively non-lethal variants. So don't worry too much so that people don't panic," said Minister of Health Budi Gunadi to reporters at the Indonesian Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday.

On the same occasion, Budi Gunadi also responded to reporters' questions about the reshuffle issue.

"Wow, that's his right. Ask him (President, ed.) yes," said the Minister of Health in response to reporters' questions.

The Minister of Health, when asked about the possibility of a reshuffle issue being discussed in a meeting, chose to answer it jokingly.

"We discussed where the journalists want to be moved," said Budi Gunadi with a smile.