DPR Asks Government To Send DIM On Medical Education Bill

Willy Aditya/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The House of Representatives has asked the government to send an inventory of problems (DIM) for the revision of the Medical Education Bill following the issuance of a presidential letter (Surpres) regarding the revision of the bill.

"We are still waiting for the DIM from the government regarding the revision of the Medical Education Bill," said Deputy Chair of the NasDem Party faction, Willy Aditya in his statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, February 22.

The DIM is very necessary because the Education and Education Bill has officially been ratified as a DPR initiative bill since September 2021 and is included in the 2022 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas), so like it or not, it must be completed.

The chairman of the NasDem Party DPP also explained some of the problems that exist in existing medical education. For example, doctors are still very limited and accumulate in Java and urban areas. The reason is the desire to return the cost of education which is so expensive.

Not to mention the UKMPPD mechanism (Student Competency Test for the Doctor Profession Program). This competency test has made it difficult for a prospective doctor to enter, and exit is just as difficult.

Another problem, the high cost of medical education is now becoming increasingly difficult to reach for those who are limited economically. Medical education has become synonymous with the wealthy and the wealthy.

"For this reason, the medical world needs reform. Abroad, people are competing to open an educational hospital. In our case, it is 'limited' and it is difficult for the private sector to become an educational hospital. We don't want to be a country stuck in commercialization," said Willy.

On that occasion, Willy appreciated President Jokowi's decision to issue a Presidential Letter (Surpres) regarding the revision of the Medical Education Bill.

Unfortunately, the President's good intentions to improve the medical education system in Indonesia have not been well received by the ranks of the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud), especially the Director General of Higher Education Research.

This unfavorable response can be seen from the attitude of the Director General of Higher Education Research, Ministry of Education and Culture, Nizam, who views that the discussion of the Medical Education Bill does not need to be continued.

Willy, who serves as a member of Commission XI of the DPR, actually felt strange about the attitude of the Ministry of Education and Culture, especially the Director General of Research and Higher Education, which stated that the discussion on the revision of Law no. 20 of 2013 does not need to be continued.

"If it's not necessary, why is there a Presidential Letter (Surpres) issued?" he insisted.