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House to probe sexual-harassment allegation against NasDem lawmaker
Deputy chairman of the ethics body Habiburokhman said questioning of Sugeng would take place this week and that the House aimed at settling the allegation internally.
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An almost empty plenary room of the House of Representatives is seen in this undated photo. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
T
he House of Representatives ethics body has moved to question chairman of Commission VII overseeing energy and mineral resources Sugeng Suparwoto, a politician from the NasDem Party, following an allegation that he verbally sexually harassed a fellow lawmaker.
Deputy chairman of the ethics body Habiburokhman said questioning of Sugeng would take place this week and that the House aimed at settling the allegation internally.
"Yes it will be this week and we expect to settle this problem internally before referring it to other institutions," said Habiburokhman, a senior lawmaker from the Gerindra Party.
Last week, a former lawmaker, identified only as AAFS, filed a complaint to the House ethics body claiming that Sugeng had made statements that amounted to sexual harassment.
Speaking on Friday, Habiburokhman confirmed that there was a complaint filed against Sugeng and that the ethics committee would look into the allegation.
"The individual who filed this complaint, Mbak AAFS, was present herself and the allegation is now viral on social media," he said.
Responding to the allegation, Sugeng said he would meet summonses either from the National Police or the House ethics body, should the two institutions press ahead with investigations.
"I must meet any summons, this is my legal obligation as a citizen. Wherever the clarification should be made, at the ethics council or the police’s criminal investigation division, whatever the questions," Sugeng said, as quoted by Antara.
A possible criminal case against Sugeng would add to the NasDem Party’s legal woes, which in recent weeks has had to contend with a graft allegation leveled against its secretary-general and former telecommunications and information technology minister Johnny G. Plate.
Last month, the Attorney General's Office (AGO) named Johnny a suspect in alleged botched procurement for a government 4G telephony project.
