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EDITORIAL: Terrorizing graft busters
Novel led a probe into the recent electronic ID scandal that has implicated top lawmakers such as House of Representative Speaker Setya Novanto.
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Staying firm: Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan (left) gets prepared to give a testimony in the e-ID graft case at the Jakarta Corruption Court on March 27. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
T
uesday’s shocking acid attack on Novel Baswedan was the latest, most crude assault against top graft investigator and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). An unidentified person on a motorcycle threw acid in Novel’s face as he was walking home from attending morning prayers at a nearby mosque in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo ordered National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian to investigate what the President rightly described as “brutal” crime.
Activists said the attack was not an isolated incident, citing earlier threats and physical intimidation of KPK investigators such as Novel, including reported attempts to run his motorcycle off the road. Few were surprised at what has become persistent attempts to undermine the KPK, its bold leaders and its investigators shortly after the commission’s establishment in 2002.
Because the KPK has managed to convict hundreds of local leaders and politicians, it has faced various lawsuits that have led to the ouster of its leaders, attempts to end its wiretapping powers, quite apart from brazen assaults like the one on Novel early on Tuesday.
Novel led a probe into the recent electronic ID scandal that has implicated top lawmakers such as House of Representative Speaker Setya Novanto.
Enemies of the KPK and Novel, a police officer seconded to the anti-graft body, became crystal clear after the ugly face-off with his National Police colleagues in 2012, which occurred when Novel was tasked to search the Police headquarters in relation to a case involving driving simulators. The search led to the conviction of then traffic police chief Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo.
That same year, police attempted to ensnare Novel for the alleged shooting of a thief in 2004, in a suspected effort to stop his investigations into cases involving police officers.
This latest attack on Novel caused injuries to his eye and face. “We cannot let individuals with steadfast principles be [attacked] in such uncivilized ways,” Jokowi said in response to the incident.
