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Jokowi says new word 'soon' on Novel case. Yet another promise, say critics
The investigation into the acid attack against Novel Baswedan has dragged on for 32 months with very little progress but many empty promises, say its critics, including the victim and his legal team.
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Novel Baswedan (with mic) addresses his colleagues and antigraft activists on July 27, 2018. It was his first day back at work as an investigator of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), following a long period of recovering from the acid attack that left him blinded in one eye. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is facing severe criticism for his failure to set a deadline for the National Police to conclude its investigation on the 2017 acid attack against top Corruption Eradication Commision (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan.
In his latest meeting with Gen. Idham Aziz at State Palace on Dec. 9, the President claimed that the police had uncovered new findings about the acid attack, and that these "findings" would be announced “soon”.
A week has gone by and neither the Palace nor the National Police have shown any indication of making good of the promised announcement.
Two unidentified men threw acid at Novel as on April 11, 2017, when the KPK investigator was on his way home from the morning prayer at a mosque near his house in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. The acid hit Novel in the face, leaving him blinded in the left eye.
The police have been investigating for the last two years since the attack occurred, but have been unable to identify the perpetrators to date.
Muhammad Isnur of Novel's legal team said Jokowi’s decision to not set a deadline for the police investigation showed that the government had little commitment to upholding justice in the case.
“The protracted police investigation would only create public distrust of this administration. Why are the police taking so long in investigating a mere assault?” Isnur told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
