ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT

Sehat Rakyat: Jurnal Kesehatan Masyarakat receives and assesses concerns about research integrity or publication ethics, whether they are raised before or after publication. This page explains how to submit a concern and how the journal handles it. Submitting a report starts an assessment. It does not by itself establish misconduct.

Assessment
a report is not a verdict
Fair
those concerned can respond
Confidential
good faith reporters are protected
Proportionate
outcomes match the seriousness

The process at a glance

1
Report
 →
2
Assess
 →
3
Check and refer
 →
4
Investigate
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5
Decide

1Scope: Concerns and Policies

Each type of concern is examined together with the policy that applies to it.

Concern Applicable policy
Plagiarism, text recycling, fabricated or falsified data, manipulated images, fabricated references, or duplicate publication Plagiarism and Research Integrity Policy
Gift, guest, or ghost authorship, and authorship disputes Authorship and Contributorship
Undeclared competing interests Conflicts of Interest
Undisclosed or prohibited use of generative AI Generative AI Policies
Research without the permission of the institutions concerned or without informed consent, or breaches of the privacy of participants and patients, including minors Publication Ethics
Manipulation of peer review, or breaches of confidentiality by an editor or a reviewer Publication Ethics and Peer Review Process

2Submitting a Report

How to send a report

Send the report by email to jurnal.sehatrakyat@gmail.com. Use the subject line Integrity Concern: [Article or Submission Identifier].

A report should include the following.

No. Item
1 The title or the identifier of the manuscript or article.
2 A clear and specific description of the concern.
3 Supporting evidence, such as documents, data, or links to sources.
4 Any conflict of interest of the reporter, and any consideration about confidentiality.

Reports may concern authors, reviewers, editors, or journal staff and managers. Please do not send sensitive personal data through unsecured channels.

3Initial Assessment

Step What happens
Recording The editorial office records every report and, where contact details exist, confirms receipt.
First review An editor with no conflict of interest decides whether the concern falls within the remit of the journal, whether it contains enough detail, and whether clarification is needed from the reporter.
Judged on substance Reports are judged on their substance, not on the status of the reporter.
Anonymous reports An anonymous report can be assessed if it is specific and supported by information that can be verified.
Unsupported reports A report without support may be closed. It can be reconsidered if new evidence arrives.

4Fairness, Preliminary Checks, and Referral

Principle What it means
Chance to respond The subjects of a specific concern normally have a chance to respond, with safeguards that protect the process and the people involved.
Preliminary checks The journal may carry out limited checks before it contacts the parties, for example to preserve evidence or to protect research participants.
Pausing The journal may pause the editorial processing of the affected manuscript or article while a credible concern is assessed. This is a precaution. It is not a finding of misconduct.
Referral Matters beyond the authority of the journal may be referred to the institution of the authors, to the funder, or to another competent body.

5Investigation and Outcomes

5.1 Investigation

No. How a case is examined
1 An editor with no conflict of interest leads any case that needs closer examination.
2 The editor may consult members of the Editorial Board or independent experts.
3 Authors and other persons concerned are asked to explain their actions and, where relevant, to provide data, documents, or permissions.
4 Decisions rest on evidence and are proportionate to the seriousness of the case.
5 The journal keeps a confidential record of the report and of the steps taken.

5.2 Possible Outcomes

Before publication After publication
• A request for clarification, corrected citations, or attribution.
• A request to rewrite or revise the manuscript.
• A request for data, permissions, or supporting documents.
• A pause of the editorial evaluation.
• Rejection, when serious misconduct is established.		 • A correction or corrigendum.
• An expression of concern while an investigation is unresolved.
• A retraction, when the published record is substantially unreliable or serious misconduct is proven.
• Notification of the relevant institutions or authorities.
• Other proportionate steps to protect the scholarly record.

Actions on published articles follow the Correction and Retraction policy.

6Confidentiality and Protection of People Who Raise Concerns

Commitment What it means
Confidential handling Reports are handled confidentially. Information is shared only with those who need it to assess the concern.
Identity of the reporter The identity of a reporter who acts in good faith is kept confidential as far as possible.
No retaliation Retaliation against reporters who act in good faith is not accepted.
False reports A report that is knowingly false or malicious is itself a breach of publication ethics.

✓Related Policies and Enquiries

Send a specific, evidence based report to the editorial office. A report starts a fair and confidential assessment, those concerned can respond, and the outcome is proportionate to the seriousness of the case. Reporters who act in good faith are protected.