Chinese Workers Denied Access to Covid-19 Vaccines in Indonesia

LEBAK, KOMPAS.com - Some Chinese workers who came to get Covid-19 vaccinations at a Rangkasbitung clinic in Banten province near Jakarta were rejected because they failed to show a national identity card issued in Indonesia. 

Under Indonesian law, it is compulsory for all foreigners aged 17 and above to have an electronic national identity card or known as KTP if they are issued with a residence permit for a temporary stay.   

Kompas.com reported that dozens of Chinese workers mostly were men, gathered at the Lebak Police Clinic premises to get vaccinated.

Accompanied by an interpreter, they said that they came to the clinic to get Covid-19 jabs. The clinic staff then explained that they could not get the vaccine as they are required to show the KTP, not their passports.  

Also read: Bali to Spearhead Vaccine-Based Tourism Project: Indonesian Minister

One of the interpreters known as Handi said that the foreigners work in the capital Jakarta. They received information that the clinic in Rangkasbitung could administer the Covid-19 vaccine for foreign workers after showing their passports. 

"They were informed by their boss that this place [the Lebak Police Clinic] provide Covid-19 shots for foreign workers," said Handi. 

"They have a complete address and a photo of the place. When I look at the address, I told them that it is far away in Rangkasbitung, a two-hour drive from Jakarta," said Handi on Monday, June 28.

However, they were determined to come because they were told that only the aforementioned clinic could provide vaccines for foreign workers. Handi came with three foreigners who work for a glass installation company in Jalan Juanda, Central Jakarta. 

Handi went on to say that many other foreign workers come to the clinic in Rangkabitung for vaccinations.

Also read: Indonesia to Administer A Million Vaccine Doses A Day in July

But, since they could not receive the shots, Handi and the foreign workers went back to Jakarta. 

A spokesperson for the Lebak Covid-19 Task Force Dr. Firman Rahmatullah said to get vaccinated, everyone is required to show a KTP. 

"If you don't have KTP, your citizenship identification numbers [NIK] cannot be recorded [into the system]," Dr. Firman said.

Firman said that previously there were workers of foreign companies who came to get vaccinated in Rangkasbitung. They could receive the Covid-19 shots after showing their KTP. 

"Earlier, there were also some workers of foreign companies who have KTP and live in Tangerang and they got the vaccines," he said.

(Writer: Acep Nazmudin | Editor: Abba Gabrillin)

Source: https://regional.kompas.com/read/2021/06/29/064347478/sejumlah-tenaga-kerja-asal-china-minta-divaksin-tetapi-ditolak?page=all#page2.