Outspokenly, Luhut Said Indonesia Was Nervous About Not Having Paracetamol During India's Lockdown

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (Photo: Screenshot)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said that Indonesia is currently working with China to produce vaccines and medicines domestically.

"Vaccines, we deal with China. Now China is joining us and we want to make the industry in Indonesia. We want all of them to be made domestically. Now we're going to beat all of them for medicine. All medicines are made domestically," said Luhut while talking with Deddy Corbuzier in the mentalist YouTube uploaded on Tuesday, July 6.

This, said Luhut, because Indonesia was nervous about running out of Paracetamol when India implemented a lockdown last year due to the spike in the first wave of COVID-19.

"Last year India went into lockdown last year, we were nervous. We usually have paracetamol, but your great country doesn't have industrial paracetamol. Now we just have it because of that," said the Deputy Chair of the COVID-19 Handling Committee.

So far, said Luhut, Indonesia must import 95 percent of medicinal raw materials. Thus, there are mafias in the health sector.

"We import from outside. That's why it's been a mafia for decades. Now, Jokowi says beat it up, we just beat it up," he explained.

Luhut admitted, even though Indonesia was hit by a severe pandemic, there were still people who took advantage of the situation. In fact, very much.

"Really. Not really, really. That's why I said the pandemic is a momentum for us to reform," said the senior Golkar politician.

Nevertheless, Luhut said that currently President Jokowi has carried out many reforms. For example, drug production, which has been encouraged to be made domestically in collaboration with China.

Because, he said, China is the largest drug producer in the world. "Even in China, 2/3 of foreign drugs are produced in China. And they want to make it here. Now the process is the same as with Korea," he explained.

Luhut was also mentioned by Deddy about 'bartering', so that China wanted to cooperate with Indonesia in the field of medicine. However, he said, Indonesia would benefit more from this cooperation.

"Yes, you have to take and give. It's good for you, it's good for me. Everyone has to give and take. What are we stupid. I have a lot of experience, he has kung fu, we also have kung fu. Anyway, I'm lucky you are lucky. Yes, we say a lot, yes, it's fair. If not, it's not good, people don't want it. Oh yes, I agree, that's just how it is," he explained.

One of Indonesia's advantages, Luhut added, is that Indonesian children can learn how to produce their own medicines. As well as the development of schools related to the development of drugs.

"In the past, where there was a good polytechnic school in Eastern Indonesia, now we are starting it. Because of cooperation, can you really make your own without cooperation?" said Luhut.