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Setya's no-show due to 'medical checkup': KPK
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has confirmed that House of Representatives Speaker and Golkar Party chairman Setya Novanto skipped a summons to testify as a witness at Monday's e-ID hearing because he had a medical checkup.
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This photograph of House of Representatives Speaker and Golkar Party chairman Setya Novanto receiving intensive care at Jatinegara Premier Hospital drew widespread criticism that he had posed for the shot, and inspired a slew of satirical memes. (Twitter/Twitter)
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he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has confirmed that House of Representatives Speaker and Golkar Party chairman Setya Novanto skipped a summons to testify as a witness at Monday's e-ID hearing because he had a medical checkup that day.
“Prosecutors have received a letter from the witness informing them about the checkup,” KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said on Monday.
According to information circulating among journalists, Setya had a medical checkup scheduled for noon on Monday at Premier Hospital in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, as a follow-up to a heart surgery he reportedly underwent three weeks ago.
(Read also: Setya fails to appear as witness at Monday's hearing)
Following the surgery at the hospital, the Golkar politician was admitted to intensive care for observation before he was discharged last week.
It is the first time the former suspect has cited medical reasons to explain his failure to fulfill a summons to testify as a witness in a hearing related to the e-ID graft case, which has reportedly caused Rp 2.3 trillion (US$170 million) in state losses.
Setya was admitted to Jatinegara Premier Hospital on Sept. 18, when he was to appear at a KPK questioning as a suspect in the case.
A House-appointed physician to monitor the health of its lawmakers claimed at the time that Setya was being treated for multiple health issues, including heart and kidney problems, as well as vertigo.
The general public, however, doubted that the House Speaker actually suffered from health problems, and believed that he had checked into the hospital only to buy time until a decision was reached in the South Jakarta District Court pretrial hearing on his suspect status.
A subsequently released photograph of Setya connected to medical equipment drew widespread criticism and was widely ridiculed through satirical memes on social media. (ebf)
