Fake letters have been found in a number of other regions in Indonesia.
By
kompas team
·4 minutes read
Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta
A car that functions as a PCR laboratory assisted by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) at Sidoarjo Hospital, Sidoarjo, East Java, Thursday (28/5/2020)
Rampant falsification of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results threatens efforts to control the transmission of Covid-19 and endangers the safety of citizens.
JAYAPURA, KOMPAS — The Jayapura Police have uncovered a case of fake Covid-19 examination letters being used to travel. The discovery, following similar cases in a number of regions, is ironic amid all the hard work dealing with the pandemic.
In the case of PCR test result falsification in Jayapura regency, Papua, four people, identified as TH, SM, NK and MA, were named suspects. The case was uncovered when TH, who was planning to board a plane at Theys Hiyo Eluay Airport, Sentani, was detected using a fake PCR test result letter on Monday (2/8/2021). From the report of the health officer at the airport, the police then arrested the letter forgers, namely SM, NK and MA.
"Based on the results of the examination, the three perpetrators have been making fake PCR and antigen result letters since June this year. They sold the fake PCR papers for Rp 600,000 and fake antigen letters for Rp 150,000 per letter," said Jayapura Sector Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Fredrickus WA Maclarimboen, Friday (6/8).
The head of the Jayapura Class II Port Health Office, Harold Pical, said his party had repeatedly found fake Covid-19 test results and fake Covid-19 vaccine certificates at Sentani Airport and Jayapura Port.
"Over the past six months, we have found approximately 100 fake Covid-19 examination letters, both PCR and antigen," he said.
Previously, the Balikpapan Police, East Kalimantan, arrested three suspects who conspired to make fake PCR test results. They offered the service to people intending to travel by plane.
Meanwhile, AY, 48, became a suspect for being an intermediary and offering the fake PCR letter services. All three were arrested on 1 August.
Balikpapan Police chief Comr. Turmudi said this group had been active in the last month. They were DI, 30, and PR, 32, who worked in a clinic in South Balikpapan District. Meanwhile, AY, 48, became a suspect for being an intermediary and offering the fake PCR letter services. All three were arrested on 1 August.
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Prospective flight passengers validate the Covid-19 free certificate at the entrance of terminal 2, Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten, on Monday (1/2/2021) early in the morning.
For one fake PCR letter, AY, one of the suspects, set a price of Rp 900,000. He received Rp 250,000 as a broker of the service and the rest was for two other suspects, DI and PR, who made fake PCR letters at the clinic where they worked.
"Approximately 40 [fake] letters have been printed," said Turmudi in Balikpapan, Tuesday (3/8).
The fake letter was initially detected by officers at Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan. Three prospective passengers were suspected of carrying fake letters as a requirement for traveling by plane.
Fake letters have been found in a number of other regions in Indonesia. At the end of July, the police arrested five people, one of whom was a doctor in Cilegon, Banten, for conspiring to falsify the results of antigen swab tests for the crossing from Merak Port to Bakauheni Port, Lampung. Since May 2021, thousands of fake letters have been made by this gang.
Such counterfeiting is also suspected to have occurred in Manado, North Sulawesi. This could be seen from the number of airplane passengers who are suspected of being positive for Covid-19 based on the results of the rapid antigen tests, which continues to grow, at least a dozen every day, at the beginning of July.
Similar indications were uncovered in West Kalimantan in April-May 2021. Head of the West Kalimantan Health Office Harisson disclosed in mid-May that the increase in Covid-19 cases in West Kalimantan was also caused in part by the entry of confirmed Covid-19 cases from outside the regions, especially from the airport.
"Several confirmed cases of Covid-19 turned out to have used false negative swab test (PCR) certificates to enter West Kalimantan," Harisson said.
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Medical officers take blood samples from residents during the COVID-19 rapid diagnostic test activity held by the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) at the Pondok Betung Sub-District Office, Pondok Aren District, South Tangerang City, Banten, on Friday (15/5/2020). 2020).
With regard to the policy that requires PCR test results for travelers, Sam Ratulangi University epidemiologist Angela Kalesaran believed this was the right step. However, this policy needed to be strictly monitored, she said.
She said the policy was burdensome for travelers because PCR tests were not cheap. "However, if someone wants to travel, they should pay that much for PCR as well," she said. (FLO/CIP/OKA/ESA)
