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House backpedals on demand to revoke Setya's travel ban
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House of Representatives Speaker Setya Novanto (center) stands between four deputy speakers at the House building on Oct. 30, 2016. (kompas.com/Nabilla Tashandra)
T
he House of Representatives will not proceed with its plan to demand that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo annul a travel ban on House Speaker and Golkar Party chairman Setya Novanto, who is allegedly involved in the ongoing electronic identity card corruption case.
“I was informed that House leaders have decided not to ask the President to cancel the ban; the House will not send the letter,” Bambang Soesatyo, chairman of the House’s Commission III overseeing law, told reporters on Monday, referring to a request letter that had already been prepared.
The letter was issued after leaders of the majority factions at the House gave speakers the green light to challenge the government’s decision to ban Setya from traveling abroad.
The Golkar faction had raised the request during a House steering committee (Bamus) meeting last week, a move Golkar later clarified after party members raised concerns that it could be used as a tool to challenge Jokowi’s administration.
Meanwhile, House deputy speaker Fadli Zon, who also attended last week’s Bamus meeting, appeared reluctant to respond to questions about the matter.
When asked about the House’s decision to dismiss the demand, the Gerindra Party politician stopped short of saying that the House general secretariat, which oversees administrative affairs, would handle the matter.
“We did agree to send the letter [asking for an annulment] in the Bamus meeting. It was agreed, [but] the general secretariat oversees technicalities,” Fadli said. (msa)
