Public Discussion on Recycled Waste Meat

The discussion was attended by 40 participants, ranging from veterinary students to the general public, and presented four speakers. “Facts of Waste Meat in West Jakarta” was presented directly by H. Chaidir Taufik, DVM, MSi who is also Head of the Livestock and Fishery Service Sub-Office of West Jakarta. The issue was then analyzed more deeply from three different aspects by the other three speakers. The first is from “Public Health Aspect”, presented by Dr. Denny W. Lukman, DVM, MSi from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bogor Agricultural University. The second was “Nutrition Aspect and Social Effects of Waste Meat”, presented by Prof. Dr. Ir. H. Hardinsyah (Dean of the Faculty of Human Ecology, Bogor Agricultural University). The last aspect was ethics and legality, presented by Chairman of the Indonesian Veterinary Medical Association (PB-PDHI), Wiwiek Bagja, DVM, who brought forth the title “Public Discussion of Recycled Waste Meat Made Into “Food”: A Crime that Shames the Dignity of Mankind and This Nation”.

The topics discussed in this discussion were very rhetorical. As Dr. Denny Widaya Lukman stated in this presentation, waste meat that is recycled to be for human consumption is without doubt not safe, healthy, wholesome or halal. From the nutritional aspect, the meat has lost its nutritional value; it has also been contaminated by both decaying and pathogenic microorganisms which could cause disease; it has been contaminated by unacceptable preservatives (formalin) and coloring agents (textile coloring agents); it was processed (fried) using continuously reused cooking oil; and all was done in an environment that has no respect to hygiene-sanitation and health standards. According to Wiwiek Bagja, DVM, ethics have been completely ignored in this practice, where people try to turn garbage into food for other people. From legal aspects, this is clearly a crime, done intentionally and willingly, for the sake of material profit by risking the health of others. Clearly this practice has violated the Food Law No. 7 year 1996 and the Consumer Protection Law No. 8 year 1999.

How could such a thing happen and it has even been going on for five years? Prof. Hardinsyah said that it is closely related to social issues faced by the Indonesian people, especially those at the lower level. Poor education and economic pressure had forced some people to ignore their ethics and conscience, and also leave behind moral and religious values they once held. Frankly this incident is only a small part of many issues which resulted from the social and economic condition of Indonesia.

What needs to be done is collaboration among all sectors, particularly in the government who supervises and guides the people. The Livestock Service Office as the technical office responsible for veterinary public health also needs support from other related offices and fields. In this case, collaboration among related technical departments responsible for food, market management, garbage disposal and permit for small to medium scale businesses is imperative. Also support from various public communities including students is necessary to give inputs to the government. Active participation from the public in the form of reporting suspicious activities would very much help the government in conducting its duties and overcome any rising issue quickly and appropriately. Also campaign to increase public awareness on the importance of consuming safe, healthy, wholesome, and halal (ASUH) animal proteins must be intensified. It could be collaborated with educational institutions, private bodies, and non-government organizations. *** (Wnd)