Tjahjo Kumolo's Striking Statement On Illegal Vaccines On Sale In North Sumatra for IDR 250.000

JAKARTA - A number of State Apparatus (ASN) in North Sumatra involved cases of alleged sale of free vaccines from the government to the public. From this activity, North Sumatra Governor, Edy Rahmayadi's men raked in hundreds of millions from this sale.

In this case, four people have been named as suspects. They are, SW (40) Medan Polonia Property agent (briber), Dr. IW (45) ASN/Doctor on Rutan I Medan (bribe recipient), KS (47) ASN/Doctor at North Sumatra Health Office (bribe recipient) and SH, a State Apparratus at Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

The incident occurred Tuesday, May 18 at 15.00 p.m. local time, suspect SW as the organizer of carrying out vaccination activities that are not appropriate for the allocation to community groups in the housing complex Jati Residence Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan, District Medan Perjuangan, Medan City.

The vaccinated participants paid a vaccine fee and injection service of IDR 250.000 per person to SW in cash or transfer. Furthermore, the money was handed over to IW amounting to IDR 220.000 per person. The remaining IDR 30.000 becomes a fee for SW.

Hearing this event, Minister of Empowerment of State Apparatus and Bureaucratic Reform (Menpan RB) Tjahjo Kumolo was furious. According to Tjahjo, in addition to criminal penalties, the ASN should be fired disrespectfully.

"The ASN must get the appropriate punishment if found guilty. I propose to be fired", said Minister Tjahjo in Jakarta, reported antara, Saturday, May 22.

Currently, the three ASN personnel have been designated as suspects and detained after examination by the police.

Based on Law No. 5 of 2014 on ASN and Government Regulation (PP) number 11 of 2017 on Civil Servant Management, if found guilty of committing a criminal offence can be dismissed disrespectfully while waiting for the legal process to be completed.

Minister Tjahjo hopes that strict law enforcement for ASN who are proven to commit criminal acts can cause a deterrent effect.

"We must strictly enforce rules for the ASN. Things like this should not happen again in the future", he said.

He lamented that ASN personnel are looking for opportunities to reap personal benefits in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

"COVID-19 vaccination is a national program that we must support. The ASN should be an example not the other way around", he said.

As a follow-up to events that harm the community, the Ministry of Administrative And Bureaucratic Reform (Kemenpan RB) will immediately send a letter to the Office of Personnel Development (PPK) for the examination process as applicable.

"During the legal process, they were temporarily dismissed as civil servants", he said.