Indonesian Police Watch (IPW) chairman Neta S. Pane said that inadequate precautionary measures taken by Kalla and the open-house committee may constitute the sole cause of the incident that claimed two lives.

"[President-elect] Jokowi [Joko Widodo] also held an open house at Graha Saba in Solo [Surakarta, Central Java] and there were many that wished to shake hands with Jokowi. However, the committee and the hosts were able to ensure that everything was in an order and that there were no casualties. Why was this not the case at Kalla's residence? This proves how careless the committee was," he said on Saturday.

The case must be go through the legal process and the investigation must not be closed, Neta said. He added that if the investigation was stopped prematurely, Kalla and the Makassar police could be permitting violations of law that may diminish public trust in Kalla ahead of his inauguration as vice president in October.

As a result, Kalla must push for the case to be resolved legally to appease the general public and allow  judges to decide whether or not sanctions should be imposed.

Earlier this week, 15-year-old Dika and 40-year-old Harni Daeng Ngintang died from asphyxiation at Kalla's open house after being trampled in a rush to greet Kalla. Although 10 others were also injured, they were released after being treated at the Stellamaris and Pelamonia hospitals in Makassar.

Visitors were reportedly very enthusiastic to meet Kalla and his family members, as well as to receive Rp 50,000 (US$4.30) as a door prize. (fss/dic)

Popular

Indonesian workers in Japan face growing stigma after viral incidents

SpaceX Crew Dragon docks with International Space Station

Japan to export used destroyers to Philippines to deter China