Summoned Due To Rare Oxygen, Minister Of Trade: Domestic Producers Unable To Meet High Demand

Minister of Trade, M. Lutfi. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Trade)

JAKARTA - The civil society coalition sent a subpoena to the Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi regarding the oxygen crisis, starting from the availability of oxygen stocks to the uncontrolled price of oxygen cylinders. This subpoena is supported by 107 elements and organizations.

Responding to this, the Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi said the oxygen shortage occurred because domestic producers were unable to meet the high demand.

"There has been a very high (demand) growth. Of course, our producers cannot work on it," he said in a virtual press conference, Monday, July 26.

However, Lutfi ensured that the government was working together to meet the needs related to humanitarian issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government, said Lutfi, has also collaborated with various parties, both national and international private parties, to solve the problem of oxygen scarcity.

"The government is making every effort to meet the needs, especially humanitarian issues facing COVID-19. We cut the bureaucracy, we cut all the administration, to ensure that this can be fulfilled," he said.

Therefore, Lutfi asked the public to be patient because the government is doing various ways to meet oxygen needs. These efforts were discussed with other ministries such as the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, and the Ministry of Health.

"So I ask the public to be patient. But at the same time we as the government are making all efforts to meet these needs," he said.

Regarding the subpoena, Lutfi said he would face the subpoena. He also admitted that he would respect the legal process considering that Indonesia is a state of law.

"We really appreciate it, this is a state of law, we respect the legal process, and we face it legally," he said.

Previously, as many as 107 elements and organizations belonging to the Civil Society Coalition sent summons to the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi due to the scarcity of oxygen cylinders.

In the open subpoena, they assessed that the government had failed to control the availability and price of oxygen, which is now urgently needed by the people. They also said the government failed to provide hospital capacity, even for patients who needed treatment.