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Jakarta Post

Avoid speculation about Novel’s attack: House speaker

Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Tue, April 11, 2017

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Avoid speculation about Novel’s attack: House speaker War against corruption: Novel Baswedan (right), a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) senior investigator, accompanies the commission's deputy chairman Basaria Panjaitan (center) and Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak (left), the chairman of the youth wing of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s second biggest Islamic organization, in a press conference at the antigraft body's headquarters in Jakarta on March 24. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)

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esponding to an attack against Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan, House of Representatives Speaker Setya Novanto is calling on people to not speculate about the attack and instead fully trust law enforcers to investigate. 

“Whatever the motive is, this attack is unacceptable. Still, it's better for us if we do not make any speculations about it or have any suspicions or prejudices [about certain people]. We should leave it all to the police,” Setya said.

“It is hoped this case can strengthen people’s support for the antigraft body in combating corruption.”

(Read also: KPK investigator suffers burns in acid attack)

Novel suffered burns on his face from an acid attack reportedly perpetrated by two unidentified persons who were on a motorbike on Tuesday morning. The attack occurred when Novel was walking home after he attended a morning prayer in a mosque near where he lives in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. 

The KPK top investigator is receiving intensive medical treatment at Mitra Keluarga Hospital.

Novel is among the KPK investigators who are highly respected over their persistence in investigating high-profile graft cases. He is now leading the commission’s investigation into alleged embezzlement related to the provision of e-ID cards, in which several House of Representatives members and high-ranking government officials have been implicated. Speculation is rife that the attack was related to that investigation.

Setya, the Golkar Party chairman, has been mentioned many times as a person who possibly improperly received money from the Rp 5.9 trillion (US$440 million) project. The alleged embezzlement is estimated to have cost the state more than Rp 2 trillion. (ebf)

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