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View all search resultsFive suspended lawmakers face ethics probe
Five suspended lawmakers are now under investigation by the House of Representatives ethics committee following complaints filed by students over their arrogant and tone-deaf remarks about their lavish housing allowance that have sparked public anger, as questions linger over their political parties’ commitment to reform.
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Lawmakers attend a House of Representatives plenary session on July 1 at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta. (Antara/Dhemas Reviyanto)
F
ive suspended lawmakers are now under investigation by the House of Representatives ethics committee following complaints filed by students over their arrogance or tone-deaf remarks about their lavish housing allowance that have sparked public anger, as questions linger over their political parties’ commitment to reform.
They are Ahmad Sahroni and Nafa Urbach from NasDem Party, Surya “Uya Kuya” Utama and Eko “Patrio” Hendro Purnomo from the National Mandate Party (PAN) and House deputy speaker Adies Kadir from the Golkar Party.
Waves of protest and unrest unfolded in Jakarta some two weeks ago and spread to other cities, fueled by anger over the monthly housing allowance for all 580 lawmakers at a time when most people are grappling with mounting economic pressure.
In an apparent attempt to quell public anger, political parties, citing a commitment to listen to the public, announced last week the suspension of the five lawmakers from their roles in the legislature over their insensitive remarks toward ordinary Indonesians. This came after angry mobs ransacked and looted the homes of Sahroni, Eko, Kuya and Nafa despite some of them having issued public apologies.
But their suspension came under renewed scrutiny early last week following a revelation from the House Budget Committee that these “inactive lawmakers” would continue to receive their salaries and allowances.
In response, NasDem, PAN and Golkar requested the House and the Finance Ministry to halt the salaries and benefits of the suspended lawmakers, citing political parties’ commitment to uphold accountability.
House leadership subsequently announced on Friday that the suspended lawmakers would no longer receive paychecks and allowances, while the ethics committee is processing their cases.
