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Setya may resign as House speaker
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Under investigation: Graft suspect and House of Representatives Speaker Setya Novanto (left) is escorted to an interview room at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) office on Nov. 21, where he would be questioned about his alleged involvement in the e-ID graft case. (The Jakarta Post/Wendra Ajistyatama)
T
he House of Representatives’ Ethics Council has said that sooner or later, graft suspect Setya Novanto will resign from his post as House speaker because his detention by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prevents him leading the legislative body.
Ethics council deputy chairman Sarifuddin Sudding said on Tuesday that Setya had expressed his willingness to step down when House lawmakers recently questioned him at the antigraft body’s headquarters over alleged ethics violations.
“He [Setya] apologized to the public. He said he realized that a House speaker had many important duties that could not be delegated to a deputy speaker. He will make a decision [about his resignation] in the near future,” said Sudding.
The Hanura Party lawmaker said it would be more dignified for Setya to give up his post instead of being fired.
Setya is a suspect in the high-profile corruption case related to the e-ID procurement project. The Golkar Party chairman previously sent a letter to the House, in which he asked the body not to hold any process aimed at dismissing him as House speaker until after the South Jakarta District Court ruled on his pretrial challenge to being named a suspect.
However, the ethics council continued to proceed with its investigation into ethical violations allegedly committed by Setya, including a car accident that led to him being treated at Medika Permata Hijau Hospital. Many observers dismissed the accident as a ploy to escape from the KPK’s investigation. (ebf)
