TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Questionable online stores spread across a number of Indonesia’s e-commerce selling unproven coronavirus (COVID-19) health equipment and suspicious medical prescriptions will be permanently blocked.

One Indonesian online marketplace, Bukalapak, has started to ban the sales of anti-malarial drug chloroquine, the drug used by the government to treat Covid-19. Upon enforcing its strict rules, e-commerce has partnered with the Indonesian Health Ministry and the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM).

”We actively monitor this and take down accounts that sell that kind of prescription drugs,” said Bukalapak head of corporate communication, Intan Wibisono on Wednesday, March 25.

He also said that Bukalapak will crack down on online stores in its platform that sells unreasonably expensive healthcare equipment amid the global pandemic. The same goes to online stores selling products without proper health permits.

This move is echoed by another e-commerce in Tokopedia. Its spokesperson Nuraini Razak said it has permanently banned thousands of stores selling coronavirus-related health products as they have provenly violated existing rules set by e-commerce.

”We also constantly sweep our platform to make sure that products sold In Tokopedia are legit ones,” Nuraini explained. The e-commerce also assures that service fees will not be charged on customers in the healthcare product segment and assures the availability of said product’s supply.

Blibli.com has also set rules that limit the purchase of certain products such as hand sanitizers, antiseptic liquids, face masks, and staple goods. This was done to assure the supply available for the public and price stability amid the coronavirus crisis.

VINDRY FLORENTIN