The KPK plans to ask for assistance from the Indonesian Doctors Association to check the condition of House Speaker Setya Novanto’s health.
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Kompas/Danu Kusworo
Fredrich Yunadi, a lawyer of House of Representatives speaker Setya Novanto, showing photos of Setya being treated at the Medika Permata Hijau hospital, on Thursday (16/11) night. Setya Novanto, who has been named a suspect in the electronic ID card graft case and is wanted by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), was injured in a car accident in the Permata Hijau area.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) plans to ask for assistance from the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) to check the condition of House Speaker Setya Novanto’s health after he was involved in a car accident in Jakarta on Thursday night.
However, the accident will not affect Setya\'s legal process. Setya, a suspect in the case of massive graft surrounding procurement in the national electronic identity card (e-ID) project, was admitted to Medika Permata Hijau Hospital, Jakarta, after being involved in the accident in Permata Hijau, South Jakarta.
KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said at the KPK office in South Jakarta on Thursday night that the antigraft body did not know Setya’s whereabouts and had not received any information that he would surrender until Thursday afternoon.
This was the reason why the KPK had sent a letter to National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian and Interpol to find and arrest the House speaker. "However, as we already know his whereabouts, the legal process will be continued according to the law,” Febri said.
Pretrial hearings
Earlier on Wednesday night, KPK investigators went to Setya’s private home on Jl. Wijaya XIII, Jakarta, to arrest him. However, investigators had not located him until the accident.
Setya is a suspect in the e-ID corruption case. The second pretrial challenge to his status as a suspect in the corruption case will be held at the South Jakarta District Court on Nov. 30.
Febri warned against any parties hindering the legal process of the e-ID corruption case, such as by hiding suspects. If there were parties trying to help or protect Setya, they violated Article 21 of the 2001 Corruption Law.
Febri said KPK leaders had sent a team of investigators and doctors to investigate the accident involving Setya. The KPK is also considering asking for the assistance of the IDI to examine Setya’s health condition.
"We have not decided the next action because it needs further checks related to the chronological events. However, the KPK gives an assurance that even if there was an accident, the legal process of the e-ID corruption case will continue, "said Febri.
Crime scene
The police conducted an investigation at the site where Setya’s car crashed on Jl. Permata Berlian, Grogol Utara subdistrict, Kebayoran Lama district, South Jakarta.
Setya\'s lawyer, Frederich Yunadi, said the accident occurred when Setya was on his way to the KPK office. According to Frederich, at around 7 pm, Setya’s assistant contacted him. "We got information that the front part of his car was wrecked, and the glass broken. He was injured and passed out," said Frederich at the Medika Permata Hijau Hospital.
At about 7:30 p.m., at the emergency department (IGD) of the Permata Medika Hospital, only four patients were lying in wait for examination. A doctor and four nurses appeared to be on duty at the IGD, whose access from the hospital lobby was closely guarded by security staff. Apparently, Setya was taken to Room 323 on the third floor.
Shortly thereafter, Setya\'s wife, Deisti Astriadi Tagor, arrived at the hospital and went straight to Setya\'s room. Golkar Party secretary-general Idrus Marham also visited Setya. Idrus previously attended a meeting with Golkar’s regional leadership council at a hotel in Central Jakarta. Initially, Setya planned to attend the meeting. However, because of the accident, the meeting took place without Setya.
Separately, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who is also a senior executive of the Golkar Party, said after attending the national working meeting of the Nasdem Party in Jakarta on Thursday afternoon, that Setya should be responsible for whatever he had done.
In relation to the case Presidential spokesman Johan Budi SP said the actions taken by the KPK were in accordance with their authority. "The KPK is an independent institution that cannot be interfered with," said Johan.
Examination of witnesses
On Thursday, the KPK also examined six people as witnesses for a suspect in the e-ID card case, Anang Sugiana Sudiharjo. They included Setya’s nephew Irvanto Herda and former chairman of Golkar Party Aburizal Bakrie. In addition to them, Setya had also been scheduled to testify as a witness in Anang’s case.
After being questioned as a witness for about five hours Aburizal said he was asked about his duties and responsibilities as the chairman of Golkar. In addition, he was also asked about the e-ID procurement project.
Asked if the naming of Setya as a suspect in the e-ID case affected Golkar as a party, Aburizal said Setya\'s legal process had little impact on the party’s internal activities.
According to him, the day-to-day activities of Golkar are run by the central leadership board and the regional leadership council. However, he hoped Setya would follow the ongoing legal process.
Meanwhile, even though there is an indication that Setya violated the House of Representatives’ code of ethics, he will not be summoned by the House’s ethics council (MKD).
The MKD argued that as the case against Setya was being handled by law enforcement officers, the council could only act after the legal apparatus carried out their investigation. The MKD’s decision was taken in a closed council meeting at the House complex in Jakarta on Thursday.
"According to the rules, the MKD can only start the process of a code and ethics examination after the legal status has been made clear," said the vice chairman of the MKD’s Golkar Party faction, Adies Kadir.
Meanwhile, following the KPK’s efforts to arrest Setya, the House’s inquiry committee against the KPK held a closed meeting on Thursday. After the meeting, the chairman of the committee also from Golkar, Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa, said the committee had agreed to try to again summon the KPK.
