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COMMENTARY: Failure to resolve Novel's case political suicide for Jokowi
The police’s investigation has been moving at a snail’s pace, perhaps because of pressure from powerful people who want the case closed.
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Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan waves to reporters at a hospital in North Jakarta on April 11. (Antara/Aprillio Akbar)
I
f President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo wants to maintain his credibility, he should order the police to hand over the probe into an acid attack on Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan to an independent fact-finding team. It is very clear that the police are reluctant to handle the case.
The police’s investigation has been moving at a snail’s pace, perhaps because of pressure from powerful people who want the case closed.
The President has no doubt obtained complete information about the evil act, including possible political motives behind the attack on the iconic graft buster, who has a reputation among his colleagues for having a “hardline” view about corruption eradication. If Jokowi fails to push for the immediate settlement of the Novel case in order not to upset political stability, he will be turning a deaf ear to the voices of the people who in 2014 voted for him partly because of his pledge to clean up the government.
National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian on Monday gave the President an update on the ongoing investigation into the attack. The only progress the police have made after more than three months is to make of a sketch of a man who investigators believe is the perpetrator of the attack. Such little development surely does not match Tito’s achievements in unraveling much more complicated cases in the past, such as terrorist attacks.
Worse yet, he has rejected calls for the formation of an independent team and has instead proposed a joint investigation with the KPK.
Novel has openly stated that he suspects the involvement of a police general in the attack. Although he did not name the general, he was sending a clear message that the general could be the reason behind the foot-dragging in the investigation. Which is why an independent team would be perfectly justifiable, otherwise the probe won’t go anywhere.
An independent team is what we need to uncover those responsible for the acid attack, which severely damaged Novel’s eyes.
