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New police chief faces growing terrorism networks, pressure to solve Novel acid attack
Finally solving the 2017 acid attack against KPK investigator Novel Baswedan has become a priority for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who said on Friday he had given new National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis until December to solve the case.
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President Joko Widodo inaugurates Gen. Idham Azis as Indonesia Police Chief at the State Palace, Jakarta, November 2, 2019. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
G
en. Idham Azis, who was sworn-in as the new National Police chief on Friday, faces the daunting task of maintaining security amid a growth in transnationalism terrorism networks and potentially volatile domestic political dynamics.
No less important, the former head of the police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) also has to restore the police’s image by solving the case of the acid attack against Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chief investigator Novel Baswedan.
Finally solving the 2017 acid attack, which left Novel blind in one eye, has become a priority for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who said on Friday he had given Idham until December to solve the case.
"I told the new police chief that I will give him until early December [to solve the case]," Jokowi told the press after the swearing-in ceremony at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
However, Jokowi stopped short of answering reporters' questions on whether the government would set up an independent fact-finding team to improve the investigation into the case.
Idham replaced Tito Karnavian, who was recently appointed as home minister. Jokowi also promoted Idham from a three-star police general to four-star general.
"The President has instructed me to ‘work, work and work’," Idham told reporters after his swearing-in ceremony in reference to Jokowi's famous tagline.
