TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Wednesday inaugurated members of the Indonesian Medical Council (KKI) at the State Palace despite a formal protest coming from seven doctors associations and organizations citing that KKI members do not represent them.

There are 17 names inaugurated under the inauguration and the discontinuance of KKI members stated in Presidential Decree No.55/2020. 10 of them come from doctors organizations and associations, three represent public figures, two represent the Health Ministry, and two are representatives of the Education and Cultural Affairs Ministry.

The formal protest strongly urges President Jokowi to reconsider postponing the inauguration before the proper procedure is followed, which was issued on Tuesday, August 18.

In response, Health Ministry’s spokesperson Widyawati said the ministry had already asked for potential candidates for the KKI 2019-2024 administration since February. However, she said to Tempo on Wednesday, August 19, that the names given did not meet requirements stated by the law.

According to her, the inauguration had been delayed twice and the candidates that were pitched did not fulfill the needed requirements until the deadline ended. This turned the ministry to lawfully pick their own candidates - via Health Minister Terawan - and present them to President Jokowi.

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DEWI NURITA