Mahfud Asks MER-C And Bogor UMMI Hospital To Cooperate To Fulfill Police Calls

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD shortly after being inaugurated at the State Palace, Jakarta (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD asked the Bogor UMMI Hospital and the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) to cooperate and fulfill the police summons to be investigated regarding the alleged efforts to obstruct the work of the COVID-19 Task Force that would be carry out a swab test or swab test on the High Imam of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab.

According to Mahfud, when a party is questioned by the police it is not certain that he will be found guilty of an act. So, he considered that the hospital and MER-C should be present in the examination agenda.

"Being asked for information only needs technical data so it is not necessary if asked for information to be found guilty," Mahfud MD said in an online press conference broadcast on the BNPB YouTube account, Sunday, November 29.

"So they have to come and cooperate. Maybe they only ask for information about what time it comes, whoever comes in and so on. So he doesn't have to violate it," he added.

Furthermore, the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court has also received a report that MER-C, which is one of the parties entrusted with carrying out health checks on Rizieq, does not have a laboratory to carry out examinations using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. In addition, this organization also apparently does not have the authority to carry out testing for people suspected of being exposed to COVID-19.

"Based on the record, MER-C does not have a laboratory and is not registered in the network that has the authority to conduct tests," he said.

In addition, Mahfud also replied to the statement by MER-C officials who said that Rizieq had the right not to open his medical records.

According to him, the confidentiality of patient data is protected by Law No. 36/2009 on health. However, the law can be annulled by referring to Law number 29 of 2004 concerning health practices and Law number 4 of 1984 concerning infectious disease outbreaks.

So that with the existence of this law, there is special treatment or lex specialis, namely data about a person's medical record can be accessed for a specific purpose.

In addition, anyone who prevents officers from making efforts to save the community while performing government duties can be subject to the provisions of Laws 212 and 216. "So there are legal instruments here that can be taken by the government," he said.

Previously, the police would investigate four directors of the UMMI Hospital, Bogor, West Java. The investigation, which will be held Monday, October 30, is the aftermath of an alleged attempt to obstruct the work of the COVID-19 Task Force which will carry out a swab test on the Imam of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab.

There are 4 directors who will be examined by the police, namely the Main Director of UMMI Hospital Andi Tatat, General Director of UMMI Najamudin Hospital, Marketing Director of UMMI Sri Pangestu Utama Hospital, and Director of UMMI Hospital Services Rubaedah.

In addition, there are a number of other parties that will be examined, namely UMMI Hospital Manager Zacki Faris Maulana, UMMI Hospital nurses Fitri Sri Lestari and Fahmi Winda, MER-C Coordinator Hadiki Habib and Mea, and Hanif Alatas who will represent the Rizieq family.

"On Monday, November 30, 2020, the joint investigation team from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Criminal Investigation of the West Java Regional Police, the Bogor Police Satreskrim at the Bogor Police Headquarters was examined for witnesses," said the Head of the Police Public Relations Division, Inspector General Argo Yuwono to reporters, Sunday 29 November.

It is known, the Bogor City COVID-19 Handling Task Force reported the President Director and Management of the Bogor City UMMI Hospital to the Bogor City Police on suspicion of obstructing and obstructing the task of the COVID-19 Task Force in tackling the spread of infectious diseases.

The Head of Law Enforcement and Discipline of the Bogor City COVID-19 Handling Task Force Agustiansyah said in Bogor City, Saturday, November 28, the report to the Bogor City Police was made after waiting for an appointment made by the UMMI Hospital Management but not being fulfilled.

In addition, Rizieq Shihab is now reported to have returned home from the hospital since Saturday, November 28 evening. The leader of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) is now at his residence in Petamburan, Jakarta after receiving medical treatment a few days ago.