Upset! Legislators Said Minister Of Health And Head Of BPOM 'Confederate' Not Attend Meeting In House of Representatives

JAKARTA - The working meeting of Commission IX of the House of Representatives was interrupted by Health Minister Budi Gunadi and Head of the Food and Drug Control Agency (BPOM) Penny K. Lukito, absent from the meeting held this afternoon, Thursday, May 20.

Initially, Commission IX of the House of Representatives held a working meeting and hearing meeting with the Minister of Health, Head of BPOM, Director of Biopharmaceuticals, and the management of the National Commission for Post-Immunization Follow-up Events (Komnas KIPI).

However, the absence of the Minister of Health and the Head of BPOM provoked the anger of members of the House of Representatives. Because both are policyholders who are specifically invited by Commission IX of the House of Representatives. In fact, the status of the work meeting was questioned because the Minister of Health did not come.

According to the Chairman of Commission IX of the House of Representatives Felly Esthelita Runtuwene, the Minister of Health is in Denpasar, Bali, so it must be permission not to attend meetings in the House of Representatives. The Minister of Health has also sent a letter to the commission that manages the health problem.

Hearing the reason for the Minister of Health, member of Commission IX of the House of Representatives Yahya Zaini was upset. According to him, the reason the Health of Minister absent because it is outside the city does not make sense. Because the agenda of the meeting is certainly scheduled.

"It seems that there was a deliberateness not to attend the house meeting", Yahya said in the meeting room of Commission IX of the House of Representatives, Thursday, May 20.

"Because if there is an acceptable urgent reason it can still be allocated or postponed on other occasions. But irrational and plausible reasons, these are ugly and bad experiences for our constitutional lives. Because we carry out this meeting to carry out the duties of the constitution as members of the House of Representatives", he continued.

It should be noted, continued Yahya, the presence of partners whether the Minister of Health or the head of BPOM is not on behalf of himself personally but representing the president.

"I think there has to be real action from us. I propose there is a letter from the chairman of the commission, and the House of Representatives to be conveyed to the president that there was a meeting that was not attended by Ministers and Heads of BPOM because it could not be accounted for", said the Golkar politician.

If both deliberately do not meet the invitation of the House, said Yahya, then both insult parliament and can be sanctioned by law.

"It is as if the minister and head of this BPOM should not "agree" not to attend. This is reviewed and not once categorized as an insult to the parliament. This can be prosecuted legally", explained the legislator of The Electoral District of East Java VIII.

Therefore, he added, the absence of the Minister of Health and the head of BPOM makes the status of today's meeting different. It's no longer a work meeting and not a hearing meeting. Because the Minister of Health and BPOM only send envoys who can not take any policy.

"Do we continue with the two messengers? I think because the status changed and did not take policy so why are we meeting with the representative sent?", said Yahya Zaini.

Hearing some objections members including Yahya Zaini, Chairman of commission IX also took the stance not to include the envoy of the Minister of Health and the Head of BPOM in the meeting.

The meeting was only continued for the Director of PT Biofarma and Komnas KIPI.

"We can only hear from Biopharmaceuticals and Komnas KIPI", said Chairman of Commission IX of the House of Representatives, Felly Esthelita decided.