14 Transjakarta Employees Died Due To COVID-19, KSPI: It's Not A Matter Of Numbers, It's A Matter Of Lives

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The President of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) Said Iqbal admitted that there was an error regarding the number of employees of PT Tranportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta) who died due to COVID-19. However, according to him, whatever the number of those who died were the lives of Indonesian citizens.

Previously, KSPI said there were 20 Transjakarta employees who died due to exposure to COVID-19. However, the Transjakarta boss said that only 14 of his employees died from the SARS-CoV-2 corona virus infection.

"One person died, one life of a citizen of the Republic of Indonesia, you are responsible. Because you are the highest leader in the company. I don't want to argue in numbers," he said in a virtual press conference, Wednesday, July 28.

According to Iqbal, the head of the DKI Regional Owned Enterprise (BUMD) should have announced this problem from the start. He regretted the attitude of Transjakarta officials who only reacted after KSPI disclosed this issue to the public.

"Don't be silly, don't panic. If you are good, announce it from the start, this is because KSPI reacts, then you react, press conferences play on the number of dead people," he said.

Previously, the President Director of PT Transjakarta Sardjono Jhony clarified the information which stated that as many as 20 TransJakarta employees died after being exposed to COVID-19.

Jhony said that based on data as of Monday, June 27, there were 14 TransJakarta employees who died.

He also said that based on the latest data, the accumulation of positive cases in the TransJakarta environment reached 625 people spread across several divisions. Currently, he said, there are 201 active cases. Hundreds of people who are still exposed are now undergoing self-isolation at home, in hospitals and in several isolation hotels.