Stabbed Indonesian minister’s condition ‘improves after surgery’
Jakarta - Indonesian minister Wiranto, who was stabbed by two people during his visit to the capital's neighbouring city of Pandeglang, is getting better, officials who visited him said.
Wiranto, the coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister, is being treated for two abdominal stab wounds sustained in an attack on Thursday. He underwent hours of surgery.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who visited Wiranto for a second time since he was admitted to the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital on Thursday, said the chief security minister was in a stable condition.
“[Wiranto] told me he wants to go home and join the limited Cabinet meeting soon,” Jokowi told reporters on Friday, adding that he wished Wiranto a speedy recovery.
Jokowi had earlier instructed National Police chief General Tito Karnavian to beef up security for state officials so as to prevent any similar incidents.
The assailant, thought to be SA aka Abu Rara, attacked Wiranto with a bladed weapon when the minister was on a working visit to Pandeglang, Banten.
After receiving first aid at a general hospital in Pandeglang, Wiranto was airlifted by helicopter to the army hospital in Jakarta, where he underwent an operation.
State officials, political bigwigs and security top brass, ranging from Vice President Jusuf Kalla and State Intelligence Agency chief Budi Gunawan to former chief security minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, visited Wiranto at the hospital.
Presidential Advisory Board member Agum Gumelar, who visited Wiranto on Friday, also said that the senior minister’s condition had greatly improved.
“He was talking slowly when I spoke to him earlier, but I can see that he’s already in a better condition,” Agum said.
Tedjo said Wiranto was in the hospital’s intensive care unit. They only talked briefly, Tedjo added, explaining that his successor needed rest.
“I asked the doctor, who said [Wiranto’s] condition was normal,” Tedjo said, “They have stopped the internal bleeding, and now we just have to wait for him to recover.”
Police have arrested Abu Rara together with his wife, FA, and are looking into the motive behind the attack. The suspect is believed to be a member of Islamic State-linked homegrown terror group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah.