KPK Remains Fearless in Face of Terror

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has said that it will not cower in the face of terror. Incidents like the acid attack on senior KPK investigator Novel Baswedan will not deter the KPK from investigating and unraveling huge corruption cases.

An unidentified person reportedly hurled acid at Novel after he completed a morning prayer at the Al-Ihsan mosque near his home in Kelapa Gading, Jakarta, on Tuesday (11/4/2017). Reports said that Novel was attacked by two individuals on a motorbike and suffered severe burns to his left eye, impairing his vision.

“We assure you that the KPK will not be affected or deterred by the terrorism. All KPK leaders and employees will be steadfast in our fight against corruption by continuing all current investigations. We ask everyone to fight any terrorist attacks and attempts to undermine corruption eradication. Hopefully, this can be a strong message to the parties who do not wish to see us succeed in our work,” KPK chair Agus Rahardjo said.

This was not the first attack against Novel and other KPK employees, comprising investigators and leaders. Many have been targeted by physical attacks, including acid attacks, hit-and-runs, deliveries of bomb-like packages to investigators’ homes and even supernatural threats. Several KPK leaders and investigators have even been criminally prosecuted. Novel was the latest person in a long string of KPK employees who have suffered from such attacks.

Resistance

After the acid attack on Novel, the KPK immediately discussed terrorism mitigation measures. “We are carrying out careful protective and risk mitigation measures. Of course, this is done in collaboration with the police,” KPK deputy chairman Laode M. Syarif said.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that the terrorism against KPK leaders and employees was a form of resistance from those who are troubled by the KPK’s investigation of huge corruption cases. Kalla said that the case indicated that those who hurled acid at Novel were paid by a big-name corrupt person.

“We are deeply concerned about this and we hope the police can act swiftly and seriously in chasing down the perpetrators. This is an indication that we are facing resistance from those ensnared in legal cases. We cannot accuse anyone, but those ensnared in small legal cases would not have harmed anyone. Surely, this was done by someone facing huge legal cases who paid others to do this,” Kalla said.

Separately, President Joko Widodo strongly condemned the incident. The President said that the attack on Novel was brutal and inhumane. “People with such steadfast principles should not have to face such an uncivilized attack. Violence like this must not happen again,” the President said.

The President has ordered National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian to investigate the case and find the perpetrators behind it.

Hunt for the perpetrator

Tito said that he had ordered the Jakarta Police to form a special team to hunt for the persons involved in the attack on Novel. Apprehending these perpetrators will be important for unraveling the motives behind the act.

“The situation is cause for great concern. The Jakarta Police have formed a special team that will be assisted by the National Police to unravel the case and arrest the perpetrators,” he said.

According to Tito, the police did not wish to make any assumption about whether the acid attack was related to the cases Novel handled at the KPK. “I do not wish to speculate on the motives. We are focused on gathering the facts,” he said.

Novel is currently receiving treatment at the Jakarta Eye Center. Previously, he received intensive care at the Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kelapa Gading. The acid attack to Novel’s face resulted in severe injuries to the area around his eyes.

Public support, including from respected figures, are flowing into the KPK and especially to Novel, who people hope would remain fearless in his work.

While he was being treated at the Mitra Keluarga hospital, Novel was visited by KPK leaders and former commissioners, as well as by senior public officials. Agus was the first official to be at the hospital at 8 a.m.

Ten minutes later, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Mochamad Iriawan and North Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Dwiyono arrived at the hospital. Former KPK chairs Taufiequrachman Ruki and Abraham Samad, former KPK commissioner Johan Budi, lawmaker Aboe Bakar al-Habsyi from the House of Representatives Commission III and Novel’s cousin Anies Baswedan were also seen at the hospital.

“To all my children at the KPK, do not be afraid. Keep going forward. God is with us,” Ruki said.

Former Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud MD also visited Novel at the hospital. After the visit, he said that Novel had told him that he had suspected he was being followed for the past two weeks. Novel purportedly showed Mahfud a photograph. “Yes, he showed me the picture of the person who had been following him,” Mahfud said.

Separately, House deputy speaker Taufik Kurniawan said that the terrorism against Novel should not make the KPK afraid of unraveling and eradicating corruption.

He said the vicious attack on Novel should serve as a lesson for improving protection of law enforcers, especially investigators and judges, whose lives are at risk because of the cases they handle.

(IAN/INA/NDY/APA/ODY/DIM/TAM/DIA/AIN)

A DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE SOLD FREELY

A chemical substance is called “air keras” (hard water) if it destroys organic materials. It can be either acidic or basic.

Acidic hard water includes sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), hydrochloric acid (HCl) and nitric acid (HNO₃). Basic hard water includes natrium hydroxide (NaOH), which can burn your skin.

Bandung Institute of Technology chemical engineering department head Tirto Prakoso said on Tuesday (11/4/2017) that an acidic solution with a low pH level may trigger heat effects on skin. The higher the concentration, the deeper the solution will penetrate your skin, which has eight layers of filaments. At its most harmless level, the solution will only cause itchiness. Mid-level exposure will cause burn wounds and severe exposure will melt your skin.

“This is an oxidation reaction that affects the oxygen molecules in the protein network in your skin,” he said.

According to Tirto, the type of hard water that is cheapest and most easily procured in the market is sulfuric acid.

A sulfuric acid solution with a concentration of 10 to 15 percent is used as battery acid for motor vehicles. Sulfuric acid with a 98-percent purity level is used in industries, such as to make detergent, and as a textile emulsifier.

Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) biotechnology research center biochemistry expert Yopi Sunarya said that sulfuric acid was also used to remove rust from iron plates. Sulfuric acid exposure is treated by pouring lots of water onto the affected area as sulfuric acid dissolves easily in water.

Abdul Halik Malik, the head of the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Emergency Doctors’ Association (PDEI), shared this opinion. He said that skin areas exposed to hard water must be doused with water.

After the exposed skin is cleansed of the acidic solution, the next treatment is similar to that for burns, namely the administering of antibiotics to prevent a secondary infection and the daubing of the wound with ointment.

Not sold freely

Considering its dangerous effects, Tirto and Yopi said that extra cautious monitoring should be applied in the trade of hard water. Yopi said that anticipatory measures for crimes using hard water must be improved to prevent similar attacks in the future.

“Licenses or letters from relevant institutions should be necessary to purchase it. Currently, it is sold freely at chemical stores,” he said, adding that hard water is not sold freely in Malaysia.

Trade Ministry secretary-general Karyanto Suprih said that the government had regulated imports and trade of high-concentration acidic solutions through Industry and Trade Ministry Regulation No. 647/2004 on the import of precursors.

Through the regulation, importation of hard water must be done by producing importers (IP) and registered importers (IT) and it must be delivered directly to the end users, the producers of raw materials and industries.

“The distribution is done from the IT to industry without any middlemen,” he said. Karyanto affirmed that hard water must not be sold freely. He alleged that leakages from the distribution channel or the presence of domestic production might lead to the presence of hard water in local markets.

The government and the police should be able to detect and investigate if there are any leakage in the import process. However, no regulation exists for domestic production.

(YUN/ELD/HEN)