Rapid Test Candidates Appear At The Station, What Should Be Done?

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - The police arrested three brokers, Agus S Sukiya, L Yuliman, Hendra Saputra who offered fake rapid test results at Pasar Senen Station, Central Jakarta, Sunday, December 20 at around 01.30 WIB.

The three of them were arrested for allegedly taking advantage of regulations that require train passengers to have a COVID-19-free certificate before traveling.

This arrest began when there was a report about the practice of brokering. Subsequently, joint officers from the Central Jakarta Metro Police and Senen Polsek moved and managed to arrest the three and find evidence in the form of cash amounting to Rp100 thousand.

Offender mode

Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief Kombes Pol Heru Novianto said the mode of the three perpetrators took advantage of the impatience of passengers who were queuing for inspection with a rapid test or rapid test at Pasar Senen Station.

"In order to be fast, he (the broker, red) asked for services, asked for transport, offered to a designated place to get a quick test," Heru said in Jakarta, Sunday, December 20.

Furthermore, brokers collect fares starting from delivering prospective passengers to getting quick test results. For example, for the service of delivering to a rapid test clinic until the results of the passengers are pegged, the tariff is Rp. 50,000.

Then the cost of a rapid test or rapid test is IDR 95 thousand. In addition, there is also a motorbike transportation fee to the clinic, which is set at around Rp. 35 thousand to Rp. 45 thousand.

"They are looking for loopholes because many are queuing, many are impatient. They offer themselves services to a place that can issue rapid tests," he said.

Even though they have been arrested, the police have still not found any criminal elements in the actions of the three men. Heru said that his party will continue to study their actions.

The existence of this kind of mode has made the police appeal to prospective passengers of the train public transportation mode that will depart from Pasar Senen Station, Central Jakarta to depart a few hours earlier to avoid queuing for health checks amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Want to go, don't have a tight time," said Heru.

In addition, the public is also asked to ensure that the place for conducting the rapid test is valid.

"So that when returning to the village or traveling long distances, it does not spread COVID-19 or to families who will be met in the village," he said.

Not at the station

Regarding the arrests of the three brokers, the Head of Public Relations of PT KAI Daop I Eva Chairunnisa emphasized that so far there have been no health certificate brokers hanging around the Pasar Senen Station. This means that these three people operate around the station.

"There are no health certificate brokers hanging around the station," said Eva in her written statement.

He ensured that the officers checked the health documents of the prospective passengers with great care, including checking the validity of the files. Eva also emphasized that the rapid test actually does not have to be done in a station environment but can also be done in other health service institutions.

"What needs to be paid attention is that the rapid results file with non-reactive results must be brought when traveling by train," he said.

Meanwhile, regarding the arrest of the three rapid test letter brokers, his party has coordinated with the authorities so that follow-up tracing can continue.

There must be strict sanctions

The existence of this rapid test letter broker was then responded to by a criminal law expert from Al-Azhar University Suparji Ahmad. He said, the emergence of brokers in this situation occurred because the perpetrators took advantage of the opportunities that exist in the midst of this pandemic.

"The main cause of this incident is due to opportunity and weak supervision," said Suparji when contacted by VOI.

He considered that strict sanctions should be given to these types of brokers. Moreover, they are looking for profits in times of difficult conditions like now.

In addition, the policy of attaching rapid tests before traveling by public transportation modes such as trains also needs to be reviewed while the socialization is still being carried out. This is because prospective passengers can use the services of brokers because they think the existing regulations are troublesome.

"It's true (prospective passengers have difficulties, ed) because this policy is indeed a hassle and of course there is the potential for irregularities. So it needs to be reviewed," he said.