By: Hendra J Kede *)
The writer got this story from one of the most core committee members of the Indonesian Islamic Student Family Center (Pengurus Pusat Keluarga Besar Pelajar Islam Indonesia – PP KBPII) where the author there is the Head of the Law and Legislation Division. Call it the initials AE.
AE lives in a relatively well-off environment (class leads to the top) with caring and good social ties with fellow neighbors. It is very rare in a metropolitan city.
If there are neighbors who are sick they still see each other. If a neighbor dies, the care is still carried out by the neighbors in mutual cooperation, starting from bathing, dressing, praying, to the funeral.
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One afternoon, information spread through social media and mosque loudspeakers that a neighbor had died.
Neighbors came because there was no prior information that the person who died was sick. And the family also said that the deceased died normally and showed no symptoms towards being infected with COVID-19.
Long story short, the corpse was led by the ustadz who used to bathe the body and was assisted by friends, relatives, and neighbors. Likewise, while waiting for the burial the next day, everyone took turns on guard at night while reading holy verses such as Surah Yasin.
And of course the body of the deceased is handled until the funeral does not use the funeral protocol for a positive patient of COVID-19.
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The day after the funeral, the PCR Swab Test results of the deceased came out and tested positive for COVID-19.
It turned out that, one day before his death, his family brought the deceased PCR Swab Test because the results of the Rapid Test showed reactive results.
While waiting for the results of the PCR Swab Test, it turned out that the family forced the deceased to go home and undergo independent isolation at home.
And the family also made another decision, hiding this information from anyone. Even after the deceased dies and is buried.
Only after the results of the PCR swab came out and the Rukun Warga (RW) management received information from the officers that the residents found out that the deceased showed the Reactive results on the Antibody Rapid Test and was waiting for the PCR Swab Test results, and the family could no longer hide this information.
Uproar …….
Panic….
Neighbors who handled the bodies and mourners were contacted. Temporary lockdown of mosques. All neighbors were carried out a PCR Swab Test, especially those directly involved in managing the bodies.
The results were astonishing and dire: 19 (nineteen) people tested positive for COVID-19.
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It is the right of patients and their families to be protected by their medical history information.
But never forget this supreme rule of law: Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto.
The supreme law is PUBLIC SAFETY.
Any law can be set aside in order to uphold and protect PUBLIC SAFETY.
PUBLIC SAFETY is even higher than the Constitution (UUD), let alone from the Law.
Isn’t it that the law to safeguard the safety of 19 citizens who were neighbors of the deceased is much higher and therefore the application must take precedence over the law to protect the medical history of the deceased?
For the wider community, the answer returns to our respective consciences.
And for state officials who have the authority to carry out laws related to COVID-19, hopefully this case will become a material for deep reflection.
Especially an afterthought for the new Minister of Health who is not a doctor. Which is the greater benefit of opening positive patient information for COVID-19 than closing it, especially opening it to neighbors who are in direct contact?
Hopefully the COVID-19 will soon pass from Indonesia, our beloved country. Allahumma aamiin
*) Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Central Information Commission
