Jakarta,
Aug 5, 2017 (Antara) - Some people view Novel Baswedan, a senior investigator
of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), as a hero for his
fearless and ceaseless fight against corruption, one of the most
pressing problems facing Indonesia.
Baswedan,
a 40-year-old retired police officer, had joined the anti-graft agency
in 2007 and since then has been frequently terrorized and attacked.
In
2012, his motorcycle was seriously damaged after being attacked by
supporters of convicted Amran Batalipu, a former district head of Buol
in Central Sulawesi Province.
Since 2012, he had also been criminalized, and in 2015, he was named a
suspect in a case of maltreatment that had occurred in Bengkulu in 2004,
when his subordinates had arrested several swallow nest thieves.
Baswedan was head of the Bengkulu Police's criminal investigation unit
at that time.
In 2016, Baswedan was hit by a car while driving a motorcycle on his way to the KPK building.
A fatal attack against him took place on the morning of April 11, 2017,
when he was heading home after performing Fajr, or the Dawn prayer, at a
mosque nearby when two motorcyclists hurled acid on his face that
injured his eyes, particularly the left eye.
His
attackers escaped and until now are still at large, while Baswedan is
currently being treated in a Singapore hospital. He has lost his left
eye and has to undergo a major surgery.
Former chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Inspector General M.
Iriawan had also investigated a possible link between the attack and the
online hijab and Muslim dress business run by Baswedan's wife.
Several parties, however, are certain that the attack is related to the corruption cases being handled by Baswedan.
From Singapore, last July, Baswedan had sent a video message that
became viral on social media, saying that the attack would never stop
him from fighting against corruption, and in fact, it has boosted his
spirit to eradicate corruption in this country.
To his attackers, Baswedan said what they had done to him would go in
vein if they intended to stop him from doing his duty as a KPK
investigator.
When
the acid attack took place, Baswedan was handling several high-profile
corruption cases, including a mega corruption case related to the e-ID
card project, allegedly involving the country's political elites.
As the trial has been ongoing, testimonies by several witnesses have
revealed a shocking allegation that some Rp2.3 trillion (some US$172.5
million) of the e-ID card project funds worth some Rp5.9 trillion
(nearly $443 million) were embezzled.
The
corruption scandal allegedly involved several officials of the Home
Affairs Ministry and politicians serving as members of the House of
Representatives during the 2011-2012 period. Setya Novanto, chairman of
Golkar Party concurrently the present house speaker, has been named a
suspect by the KPK.
On the day when Baswedan was attacked, President Joko Widodo had expressed his condemnation to the act.
On the day when Baswedan was attacked, President Joko Widodo had expressed his condemnation to the act.
"It
is a brutal act. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms, and I
order the national police chief to find those responsible," he informed
journalists at the State Palace in Jakarta, on April 11, 2017.
Some
111 days later, on July 31, President Jokowi had summoned National
Police Chief General Tito Karnavian to convey his order to immediately
settle the acid attack case.
"I order an immediate settlement (of the case)," he informed the press.
Gen.
Karnavian remarked that the police had taken several steps to solve the
case. Until now, 59 people have been questioned, but following
examination, it was found that they were not linked to the case, he
said.
"In principle, we wish to settle it as soon as possible, but sometimes we face constraints," he said.
The general had shown a sketch of the suspect who had conducted the
attack on Baswedan. The suspect appears to be a slender man, with dark
skin and curly hair and stands 167-170 centimeters in height.
"We
have also checked around 50 CCTVs in a one-kilometer radius and also
around 100 shops selling H2SO4 (sulfuric acid). We are still
investigating," he added.
Karnavian
said the police already had an important witness that could help
uncover the case, but he did not wish to be identified due to security
concerns.
He, however, believed that no police general had been involved in the
case as has been reported lately. Baswedan had been quoted as saying
that he had received information that a police general was behind the
attack on him.
To strengthen credibility of the investigation, the Police will conduct a joint investigation with the KPK.
Laode M. Syarif, deputy chairman of the KPK, however, said that the
joint team, comprising police and KPK personnel, is yet to be formed.
"The
KPK has not yet formed a joint team because we do not know the role we
will be playing in the joint team," he had said on Aug 1.
The anti-graft agency is awaiting the latest update on the police investigation into the acid attack, he stated.
Several
parties have suggested establishing a joint fact-finding team or a
fact-finding team to investigate the case thoroughly, including
arresting the attackers as well as the mastermind behind the attack.
"We
suggest that the best step for President Jokowi is to form a
fact-finding team," Deputy House Speaker Agus Hermanto suggested.
The establishment of a fact-finding team will not undermine the
police's role or doubt its capability in unraveling the case, but it is
necessary since the case in complex, and in the absence of a
fact-finding team, the case would drag on, he explained.
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police, however, sees no urgency to set up a joint fact-finding team.
"We have explained that (a fact-finding team) is not necessary," Chief
of the Public Relations Section at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police
Senior Commissioner Argo Yuwono had stated on Aug 2.
***2***
(f001/INE/O001)
EDITED BY INE
(T.F001/A/BESSR/O. Tamindael) 05-08-2017
(f001/INE/O001)
EDITED BY INE
(T.F001/A/BESSR/O. Tamindael) 05-08-2017
No comments:
Post a Comment