JAKARTA: A recent series of acid attacks in the country has highlighted the lack of regulation on the sale of corrosive chemicals in the country, making it easy for offenders to obtain the hazardous compounds.
On Sunday (Dec 29), Gagan, a 59-year-old man from Sukabumi, West Java, allegedly poured a bottle of sulfuric acid on his wife, 46-year-old Dedeh Kurniasih, in their private residence in Nagrak district.
The attack left Dedeh with acid burns on some 45 per cent of her body, including to her face, back and arms. It also wounded Dedeh's two sons, 18-year-old Safif Alfian and 11-year-old Angga Juliana, who were trying to protect her.
Sukabumi Police chief, Adj. Sr. Comr. Samian, said Gagan was arrested hours after the attack and had been charged with violating Article 44 of the 2004 Domestic Violence Eradication Law, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
"[Gagan] claimed that he hurled acid at the victim because he suspected she was cheating on him. He had bought the chemical online quite some time ago," Samian said on Tuesday, as reported by kompas.com.
The chemical attack against Dedeh and her children occurred days after a college student in Yogyakarta, identified only as NH, also fell victim to an acid attack
According to authorities, a man named Satim entered NH's boarding house on Christmas Eve pretending to be a food delivery driver. He then entered her room and threw a large cup of acid on her face.
The Yogyakarta Police's Criminal Investigation Department head, Comr. Probo Satrio, said Satim had been sent by NH's ex-boyfriend, Billy Vilsen. He had allegedly been harboring resentment toward the victim since she refused to rekindle their relationship in August of last year.
Billy allegedly hired Satim through a Facebook ad, promising to pay him Rp 7 million (US$431) if he successfully carried out the attack. He also paid him Rp 1.6 million to purchase the acid at a chemicals store in the city.
Both Billy and Satim have been arrested and are facing a sentences of 12 years in prison for violating Articles 355 and 354 of the Criminal Code, on aggravated assault.
In the past few months, there have been at least seven reported acid attacks across the country, including one that wounded a 13-year-old girl.
Most victims suffered life-altering injuries from the assaults, including permanent disfigurement and complete loss of vision.
Most perpetrators used sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid or phosphoric acid for the attacks. These compounds are widely used in the production of fertilizers, dyes, glue and insecticides, as well as to clean ceramics and take rust off metals.
The corrosive chemicals are sold for less than Rp100,000 per kilogram at chemical stores and online.
The recent wave of attacks has sparked concern about insufficient regulation on the sale of corrosive substances, sparking calls to place stricter controls on public access to them.
Although the government has set up relatively strict requirements on who can produce, distribute and sell the dangerous chemicals, there is no regulation in place to monitor or limit their sale to the general public.
Surahman Hidayat, a member of House of Representatives Commission III overseeing law enforcement, advised the government to tighten the rules for purchasing corrosive substances to prevent recurring acid attacks.
"One of the reasons acid attacks are so rampant is because these dangerous chemicals can be bought easily and at relatively cheap prices, including through online stores," the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician said in a recent statement.
He added that although the government could not ban the sale of these compounds outright, it could limit the number of stores authorized to sell them or require a special permit to purchase them.
“Stores must also be required to record buyers’ IDs with every purchase and limit the amount of acid an individual can buy," Surahman said.
National Police Commission (Kompolnas) member Poengky Indarti made a similar call, urging the police to take active measures to preempt the sale of chemicals commonly used in acid attacks.
She said a "thorough collaboration" between law enforcement officials and ministries was "crucial" to monitor the sales of corrosive chemicals and to prevent their abuse. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
