DPR Clobber COVID-19 Task Force over Communication Skills

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy chief of the House of Representatives' (DPR) Commission VIII, Ihsan Yunus, on Tuesday, May 12, criticized the ‘political communication’ shown by the national COVID-19 task force, which double acts as members of the national disaster mitigation agency (BNPB).

The deputy speaker argued that the task force often makes mistakes in announcing information related to the coronavirus pandemic which he maintained creates confusion among members of the public. 

“They failed in terms of political communication. The BNPB does not pass as a [COVID-19] task force,” Ihsan critically said in today’s DPR hearing with the BNPB. 

Among the many examples, he mentioned the rapid testing held in Bangli, Bali, which utilizes VivaDiag coronavirus testing cassettes which turned out to produce many false positives. This was followed by a doctor identified as Darmawan to speak to the public to represent the BNPB. 

The legislator said the troublesome rapid test equipment sold by PT Kirana Jaya Lestari should have been made into a police report. But at the same time, the BNPB website recommends the VivaDiag rapid test kits which imply that the product is trustworthy. 

However, once this came into question, he said the BNPB handed the issue to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

“This cannot be accepted. Not like this. It’s dangerous. Who can we trust anymore now,” said the legislator.

Agus Wibowo, head of the BNPB data center, was also targeted to Ihsan’s criticism after he claimed Agus issued an unsympathetic remark in response to the Bangli COVID-19 rapid test incident. 

Ihsan also said the BNPB would often issue statements that are a contrast to other state ministries in terms of the COVID-19 handling. 

BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI