Indonesian Journalist Interviews Empty Chair After Health Minister ‘Ran Away’ To Avoid Covid-19 Questions

In the midst of a pandemic, the whole nation turns to a medical official who’s suppose to deliver the latest information and updates regarding the situation. For our country, it’s the esteemed Health Director-General,  Tan Sri Noor Hisham Abdullah as we all know about our Health Minister….

Well, it looks like when it comes to Health Ministers, we may not be alone. Indonesian journalist, Najwa Shahib, had to interview an empty chair after the Indonesian Health Minister, Terawan Agus Putranto, avoided her invitation to be interviewed for three months.

Najwa gesturing to the empty chair meant for the health minister.

In the video, Najwa sarcastically asked if the minister’s disappearance from the public view indicates that the Covid-19 threat is over. Not only that, during the beginning of the pandemic, the minister has dismissed the actual danger of the virus but with Indonesia recording 278,722 positive cases and 10,473 deaths, is it considered a big deal now?

“Weren’t you the one at the beginning of the pandemic, who insisted that quarantines were unnecessary? The figures have shown that the pandemic is NOT being managed!”

Other government officials have come on her show to speak about the pandemic except for the minister. “The public needs to listen to the government’s plan to address the pandemic that has been going on for the past six months,” she said.

The Indonesian Health Minister is probably avoiding questions from journalists so that he doesn’t end in “warm water”. Sounds familiar?

Also read: Dr Amalina: No Evidence Warm Water Kills Covid-19 Like Health Minister Says