Doctor Apologises After Telling BPJS Patient 'Ruang Jenazah Kosong'

A doctor from the Ruteng Regional Hospital (RSUD) in Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, has issued a public apology after a comment he made on social media was widely condemned as lacking empathy and constituting bullying. The controversy began with a Threads post by user @yurizaltrich, who complained on 23 July 2026 about waiting eight hours for a hospital room, noting he was a BPJS Kesehatan patient.

Nine days after the post, the patient, Yurizal Tri Chaerawan, passed away on 31 July 2026. The insensitive comments from several doctors and healthcare workers were subsequently dredged up and drew sharp criticism from netizens. One of the most highlighted remarks came from Dr Beni Christian Sihombing, who responded to the patient’s complaint by discussing the limitations of hospital rooms and stating, ‘If you want to move quickly, the morgue is always empty.’

Following the backlash, Dr Beni conveyed an open apology via his social media account. ‘I would like to express my apologies for my post on Threads. I also convey my condolences to the owner of the thread, the late Yurizal. I pray that the entire family is given comfort,’ he said. He expressed deep regret and stated he is ready to face any legal consequences, as well as sanctions from the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) and the Medical Ethics Honour Council (MKEK).

‘I take full responsibility for everything I wrote. If there is a legal process, I will follow it without any defence or hiring a lawyer, none at all. I am also ready to accept the consequences from the hospital, IDI, MKEK, the court, or other institutions,’ he continued. Dr Beni also emphasised that he would not lock or restrict access to his social media accounts, stating he would accept all criticism as a form of accountability for his mistake.