Indonesian Minister For State Enterprises Shakes Up Kimia Farma Board

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Minister for State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir has overhauled the senior management of the Kimia Farma state-owned pharmaceutical company, hours after police in Medan, North Sumatra arrested a number of its employees for reusing rapid test kits.

The former Inter Milan owner replaced Kimia Farma’s entire board of directors and commissioners, during the company’s annual shareholders meeting [RUPST] last Wednesday.

“[Kimia Farma’s] shareholders have agreed that Alexander K. Ginting should honorable step down from his post as President Commissioner. Erick and the other shareholders have appointed Abdul Kadir in his place,” Kimia Farma said in a press release on Saturday, May 1.

Also read: Indonesian Police: Thousands Affected by Used Rapid Test Samples in North Sumatra

Other outgoing officials affected by the shakeup include Independent Commissioner Nurrachman, Commissioner Chrisma Aryani Albandjar and Pardiman Kimi Farma’s Financial Director. They will be replaced by Kamelia Faisal, Dwi Ary Purnomo, and Lina Sari, among other officials.

“The shareholders at Kimia Farma’s RUPST also decided to change the title of Financial Director to Finance and Risk Management Director.”

Erick has made his displeasure over the Kimia Farma scandal known, since the matter came to the public eye. “All parties who are involved in [reusing old rapid test kits] and committed to this act will be dismissed and brought to justice,” he said at the time.

Also read: Indonesia Highlights: 'Dismiss All Individuals Involve in Old Rapid Test Case': Indonesia Minister | 10 Indonesian State Firms to Enter Stock Market Until 2023 | Flower Moon to Light Up Indonesia Skies on May 26

Erick added that the ring’s actions “betrayed the public service professionals in the health sector.” Police in North Sumatra arrested the five Kimia Farma employees who reused the old test kits on travelers boarding flights at North Sumatra’s Kualanamu Airport.

Investigators estimated that about nine thousand travelers were affected by the used test kits, since the syndicate started operating in December 2020.

The police charged the suspects under a 2009 medical law on the use of potentially dangerous materials, as well as a 1999 law on consumer protection. If found guilty, they faced up to five years in jail and a Rp. 2 billion [$138,478.26] fine.

(Writer: Akhdi Martin Pratama | Editor : Yoga Sukmana)

Source: 

https://money.kompas.com/read/2021/05/01/060000326/erick-thohir-rombak-susunan-komisaris-dan-direksi-kimia-farma?page=all#page2.