Minister Terawan Urged to Quit; VP Ma'ruf Amin Responds

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin responded to public pressure for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to remove Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto. He asserted that such dismissal is the president's prerogative rights.

"But in my opinion, in a situation like this as we face the coronavirus outbreak threat that hit the world, including Indonesia, we should not accuse each other, not blame each other," said Ma'ruf at his official residence, Jakarta on Wednesday, March 18.

Ma'ruf called for peace among the society and suggested all citizens educate each other so that people increasingly understand the dangers of the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

"We should hand in hand, together working to deal with the virus threat," Ma'ruf Amin said.

The urge for Jokowi to dismiss Terawan was previously voiced by the civil society coalition. A member of the coalition who is also a Migrant Care activist, Anis Hidayah, said that from the beginning the outbreak occurred, Terawan showed attitudes of arrogance, underestimation, anti-science, and looked down on the problem that resulted in a loss of vigilance.

"We urge President Jokowi to replace Health Minister Terawan with a figure who understands public health, has crisis sensitivity, who will guide us through this worst health crisis," Anis said in a written statement on Tuesday, March 17.

FRISKI RIANA