Novel Baswedan Reveals His Left Eye Is Permanently Blind Since The Beginning Of 2020

Novel Baswedan/Antara

JAKARTA - The former investigator of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) who is now a state civil servant (ASN) of the National Police, Novel Baswedan went to the Netherlands to have his eyes checked for hard water. The examination was carried out because his left eye is now permanently blind.

"It's true that I went to the Netherlands for an eye examination. Since around the beginning of 2020, my left eye has finally become permanently blind," Novel said when confirmed by reporters quoted on Friday, March 18.

Novel said the eye examination should have been done in May 2021. However, at that time the spread of COVID-19 was massive, so he decided to postpone his departure.

As a result of not leaving, Novel then took treatment in Jakarta. Not only that, he also tried out ways to use herbal medicine.

"Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I can't get further treatment. I did an eye exam in Jakarta and took herbal medicine," he said.

Furthermore, Novel told that the process of seeking treatment for his eyes was carried out while he was still working at the KPK. With the help of his colleagues who are members of the KPK Employee Forum, he finally received information that there was an eye treatment in the Netherlands that he could try.

He said that at that time, the KPK leadership gave support to get treatment in the Netherlands even though he did not end up leaving.

"If I had left for the Netherlands at that time, of course I would have received a notification of removal through TWK while I was in the Netherlands," he said.

Novel asked the public to pray for him so that the examination of his eye condition did not get bad results. "Please pray for me, hopefully there will be the best solution that can be done to repair my eyes," he said. It was previously reported that Novel Baswedan was doused with hard water by an unknown person in 2017. The watering damaged both of his eyes.

The search for the perpetrator of this hard water sprinkler went on for a long time, until finally the police arrested Rahmat Kadir Mahulette and Ronny Bugis. Both were tried and found guilty of violating Article 353 Paragraph (2) of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code regarding premeditated severe persecution.

For his actions, Rahmat Kadir Mahulette was sentenced to 2 years in prison. While Ronny was sentenced to 1 year 6 months or 1.5 years in prison.

They watered the Novel on April 11, 2017 at Jalan Deposito Blok T, Pegangsaan Dua Village, Kelapa Gading District, North Jakarta at around 05.10 WIB. At that time, Novel had just left the Al-Ikhsan Mosque to return home.