House Member Highlights Health Assessments for Prospective Kopdes Merah Putih Managers

Member of House Commission I Tubagus Hasanuddin has highlighted the health assessment process for prospective managers of the Koperasi Desa Merah Putih and Koperasi Nelayan Merah Putih prior to their participation in basic military training activities. He stated that if the health assessment process had been carried out comprehensively, there should be no record of fatalities during the implementation of this activity. “For instance, in the case of cardiac arrest, this should have been detected if the health assessment was conducted properly,” Hasanuddin said when contacted on Saturday, 27 June 2026. He urged that the health assessment process be evaluated strictly, so that the health screening of participants can be known more objectively and thoroughly. This includes, he said, the portion of military physical training that must be removed. He argued that if the substance of the activity is to forge discipline and mentality for prospective managers, physical exercises such as running or push-ups are not relevant. “If the participants are indeed being prepared for managerial positions in the Kopdes, then the main focus should be given solely to cooperative management training, organisational capacity strengthening, and relevant technical training,” said the PDIP politician. Four prospective managers of the Kopdes and Koperasi Nelayan Merah Putih were declared dead while participating in the basic military training activity. The four are Novia Rahmadhani Sihotang, Anisa Muyassaroh, Yonanda Muhammad Taufiq, and Muhammad Rifki Renaldi Gunawan. Novita attended the training at the Language Centre of the Indonesian Air Force Doctrine Development, Education, and Training Command in Jakarta. She died on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, on the sixth day after the training began on 17 June 2026. Anisa died a day later, on 18 June 2026, due to heat stroke while attending military training at the Education Unit of the Main Regiment Command of the Mulawarman Regional Military Command in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. Yonanda was declared dead due to cardiac arrest on 17 June 2026. He was recorded as attending training at the Education Unit of the Indonesian Army Combat Training Centre in Baturaja City, Ogan Komering Ulu Regency, South Sumatra. Meanwhile, Rifki was recorded as attending basic military training at the Education Unit of the 465 Para Commando Battalion in East Jakarta. Before taking his last breath, Rifki complained of experiencing shortness of breath. The Head of the Defence Information Bureau of the Ministry of Defence Secretariat General, Brigadier General Rico Sirait, said his agency expressed condolences over the incident. Regarding the health assessment, he stated that all participants had undergone various processes before being confirmed to participate in the basic military training, particularly concerning health examinations. In Rifki’s context, he claimed that based on the selection results, the individual concerned was declared eligible to participate in the education programme. Nevertheless, Rico added that his agency, together with the National Selection Committee and education organisers, would conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of the SPPI Programme. “The evaluation includes strengthening the health selection process, early detection of participants’ medical conditions, increased supervision by health personnel during education, and tracing participants with similar complaints across all education units,” he said in a written statement on Friday, 26 June 2026.