Consequence Novel Baswedan's Post In Twitter, Now Dealing With Bareskrim

JAKARTA - Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) senior investigator Novel Baswedan was reported to the police for writing criticism of the death of Ustaz Maaher At-Thuwailibi who died at the Police Criminal Investigation Prison. In fact, Novel considered his writing as a form of concern for the death of the Ustaz.

Novel wrote his criticism regarding the death of Ustaz Maaher on Tuesday, February 9 through his Twitter account @nazaqistsha. He questioned why the Ustaz was ill was forced to be detained in the detention center by the police.

"Innalillahi Wainnailaihi Rojiun Ustadz Maaher died at the Police detention center. In the case of humiliation, detention, then illness. He is sick, why are they forced to be detained? The authorities don't go too far ... Especially with Ustadz. This is not trivial, you know", wrote Novel Baswedan as quoted by VOI.

Innalillahi Wainnailaihi Rojiun Ustadz Maaher died at the Police Prison. In the case of humiliation, detention, then illness. Sick people, why were they forced to be detained? The authorities did not go too far .. Especially with Ustadz. This is not trivial, you know..https: //t.co/VkCUeV5pTf

- novel baswedan (@nazaqistsha) February 8, 2021

This tweet then made him politicized by the Deputy Chairperson of the DPP Youth, Student and Student Partnership for Community Protection (PPMK) Joko Priyoski on Thursday, February 11. This reporting was done because he felt Novel did not have the authority to comment on this matter.

"We reported Novel Baswedan because he had made a tweet on Twitter which we suspected was making hoaxes and provocations", he said after reporting.

Apart from reporting to the police, Joko said that his party would also report to the KPK Supervisory Board for the same reason.

"We will also urge the KPK Supervisory Board to immediately impose sanctions on Novel Baswedan's brother for this remark", he said.

In this matter, Joko reported Novel Baswedan by using Article 14, 15 of Law number 1 of 1946 and also of the ITE Law Article 45A paragraph 2 jo Article 28 paragraph 2 of Law 18 of 2016 concerning amendments to Law number 11 of 2008.

The Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim) will receive a report

Regarding this report, Karo Penmas, Police Public Relations Division, Brigadier General Rusdi Harianto, said the report from the PPMK DPP would be accepted. The reason is that the Police must accept all reports from the public.

"The principle of the main task of the Police is to serve as a public servant. All public reports will of course be accepted by the Police, including reports against Novel Baswedan", Rusdi told reporters, Thursday, February 11.

Furthermore, investigators will study the report to determine the follow-up of the reporting.

"Of course we accept this, we will study it and of course the police will also follow up on the reports submitted by the citizens", he said.

Reports are considered odd

Novel was actually reluctant to respond to the report made by the DPP PPMK. The reason is that the tweet was actually conveyed as a form of concern for humanity.

"What I convey is a form of concern for humanity. The reporting is strange and I do not want to respond", he told reporters.

He also assessed that so far he had never heard of a detainee in a death humiliation case in a detention center (Rutan). So, this is what became his attention until he finally tweeted his statement on social media.

So that with the reporting related to his criticism, Novel considered it a strange thing.

"Precisely when such an important statement was reported, it was strange", he said.

"We almost never hear of a death humiliation prisoner in the detention room. So this is a problem, it is not natural to detain someone who is sick", he added.

Meanwhile, the head of the KPK Employee Council, Yudi Purnomo Harahap, regretted the report. He considered that this reporting was not in line with the attitude of President Joko Widodo who asked the public to criticize the government.

"I regret the reports against the KPK investigators, especially since the government itself has been open to criticism", Yudi said in a written statement to reporters.

Even so, he assessed that the reporting on the novel did not interfere with his work. This is because the senior investigator continues to work as usual to lead the task force to uncover the corruption cases currently being handled by the anti-corruption commission.

"Bang Novel himself was not affected by the report. Earlier he was still working to lead his task force to uncover the corruption cases they were handling", he said.

Previously reported, Ustaz Maaher At Thuwailibi alias Soni Ernata reportedly died in the Police Bareskrim detention cell. He died on Monday, February 8 at 19.00 WIB.

The cause of Ustaz Maher's death was a disease in his intestine. He died after previously undergoing treatment due to illness.