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Golkar obliges members to support Setya’s return as House speaker
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Bring him back – Golkar Party secretary general Idrus Marham (right) and the party’s executive chairman Nurdin Halid (second from right) speak at a press conference in Jakarta on Nov. 23 to announce the party’s decision to support the reappointment of Setya Novanto as the House of Representatives' Speaker, a move that would replace the current speaker Ade Komarudin. (Antara/M.Agung Rajasa)
T
he Golkar Party has ordered all of its members at the House of Representatives to support the reappointment of the party’s chairman, Setya Novanto, as the House speaker.
Golkar executive chairman Nurdin Halid stated on Wednesday that all party members were obliged to fight for Setya’s return to the position.
“On behalf of the party’s central executive board, I hereby instruct all members of the Golkar Party’s faction at the House to solidly secure the party’s decision to transfer the House speaker seat from Ade Komarudin to Setya Novanto,” Nurdin said at a press conference at the House on Wednesday.
The senior Golkar politician’s announcement was made amid criticisms questioning the ongoing attempt to return Setya to the position he previously gave up after his alleged involvement in an ethics violation scandal involving US-based gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia.
Golkar’s faction is set to present the decision before a House plenary meeting this week for an approval. Nurdin ensured that all faction members had been aware of their responsibility to support any of the party’s decisions, including on Setya’s reappointment.
Setya stepped down from his position on Dec. 16, 2015, following the House ethics council’s (MKD) investigation into an alleged ethical violation reported by then Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said.
Setya and his colleague, businessman Riza Chalid, were accused of using the names of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla to seek a 20 percent share of Freeport. (ebf)
