Flashback to the Acid Attack on Novel Baswedan Nine Years Ago
Former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan recounted the acid attack incident against him on 11 April 2017. This matter has resurfaced amid public attention on a similar attack targeting activist Andrie Yunus in recent times.
Novel relived the moments of the attack that occurred after he performed dawn prayers near his home. He stated that the incident did not happen spontaneously but was preceded by observation and stalking by the perpetrators.
Before the incident, Novel said he had experienced several threats, including an attempted collision while driving to the office. “The attack was not sudden. There was observation, there was stalking beforehand,” said Novel in a podcast on Dian Andryanto’s YouTube, quoted on Saturday, 11 April 2026.
Novel assessed the series of events as showing a pattern of planned attacks. He linked it to his activities as a KPK investigator handling several major cases. According to him, the attack could not be separated from the context of the corruption eradication efforts he was carrying out at the time.
During the incident, two unidentified individuals approached him from behind as he walked slowly after dawn prayers. One of the perpetrators then splashed the liquid towards his face from close range before fleeing on a motorbike.
In a condition where he could not see due to his eyes, Novel admitted he did not chase the perpetrators even though he had the opportunity. He chose to immediately seek a water source to neutralise the chemical liquid that hit his face.
He then shouted for help from nearby residents before being directed to the ablution area in the nearest mosque to rinse his face with clean water. “I knew I needed immediate help. I immediately looked for water to rinse,” he said.
After that, he was quickly taken to Mitra Keluarga Kelapa Gading Hospital before being referred to Jakarta Eye Center and undergoing further treatment in Singapore. Novel said that the first action of rinsing with clean water was the most crucial step to reduce the damage from the corrosive liquid.
He also touched on the response to handling the case, which he believed did not proceed optimally. The discourse on forming a fact-finding team at that time, he said, did not yield adequate revelations, so the legal process took a long time.
Novel also highlighted the emergence of various narratives that cornered the victim, including allegations that the incident was staged. He described this phenomenon as part of opinion manipulation efforts that often arise in major cases involving certain interests.
Amid the resurfacing of a similar case affecting Andrie Yunus, Novel considered it important to thoroughly uncover the intellectual authors behind attacks on activists and law enforcement officials. He emphasised the need for independent mechanisms to ensure the legal process runs transparently.
“If there is no will, it will be difficult to uncover. But if there is will, nothing is impossible,” he said.
The acid attack case against Novel in 2017 itself has resulted in verdicts against two field perpetrators with light sentences. However, to this day, the public still questions who the intellectual authors behind the attack are, which has become a topic of discussion again with the emergence of similar cases against anti-corruption activists.