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City to cover acid attack victims' treatment
Governor Joko âJokowiâ Widodo announced that all the medical costs of the 14 victims of a recent acid attack would be borne by the city administration
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overnor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo announced that all the medical costs of the 14 victims of a recent acid attack would be borne by the city administration.
'I have yet to learn about the incident, but we will pay for the expenses,' he said on Monday.
He added that the funds would be allocated from the city's healthcare budget.
Jakarta Health Agency head Dien Emmawati confirmed that the agency would carry out Jokowi's instruction.
'The incident is being considered an accident, and because it occurred in Jakarta, we will handle it,' she said.
The acid attack, which injured 14 people on a public bus, occurred last Friday when 18-year-old student Ridwan Noor boarded the bus and began spraying hydrochloric acid on the passengers. The bus was on its way from Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta to Grogol in West Jakarta, and it had stopped near Tongtek Bridge on Jl. Jatinegara Barat in East Jakarta when the assailant got on.
The Jakarta Police have arrested Ridwan, who is a student at vocational high school SMK Budi Utomo in Central Jakarta and is known by his classmates as Tompel.
City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said on Monday that the police would investigate the case thoroughly and that the assailant would be brought to trial.
According to the preliminary police investigation, Ridwan, who had previously been apprehended by the police in connection with a student brawl and a bus hijacking, committed the acid attack in retaliation for a similar assault perpetrated against him last year.
He expressed regret, however, that he had attacked the wrong people, as none of the students who had attacked him were on the bus.
The acid caused serious injuries to the bus driver, four students of vocational high school SMK 34 Kramat Jati, Central Jakarta, and nine other passengers onboard.
The police confirmed that there were 14 victims. One was still receiving intensive medical treatment at the Premier Hospital in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, while the other 13 had been released. (koi)
' JP/Sita W. Dewi
