Talking from the other end of the line using his brother's mobile phone, Novel Baswedan greeted Tempo cheerfully, "Assalamu’alaikum. How are you?" He sounded to be in high spirits last Thursday, even though the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) senior investigator is currently undergoing treatment at the Singapore General Hospital.

Novel mostly spends his days in bed at the hospital. Although he is allowed to leave his room, on the co