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View all search resultsDoubts grow over whether lawmakers will face sanctions in ethics probe
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Protesters are blocked by police with shields during a demonstration on Aug. 25 demanding the dissolution of the House of Representatives on a street in front of the Senayan Legislative Complex in Central Jakarta. (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)
D
oubts are growing that five suspended lawmakers, whose alleged arrogance about their perks angered the public amid economic inequality and which sparked August’s demonstrations, will face any real consequences, as the ongoing House of Representatives ethics probe appears to focus on misinformation rather than their alleged misconduct.
They are Ahmad Sahroni and Nafa Urbach from the 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.
The House ethics committee began on Monday the hearing into the five lawmakers, who have been suspended by their respective political parties over their tone-deaf remarks about their lavish housing allowances that stirred unrest in many regions across the country some two months ago.
Calls had been growing for the lawmakers to be recalled from their respective posts in the legislature instead, prompting student groups to file complaints against the politicians with the ethics committee in September.
But the way the hearing proceeded on Monday cast doubt on whether any real accountability will be enforced, with critics noting that the probe focused more on whether the controversies surrounding the lawmakers were the result of manipulated videos or false information spread online.
In the hearing, ethics committee member Habiburokhman of President Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra party suggested that the public backlash began only after edited videos circulated on social media, which he said had created a misleading narrative and provoked violence.
“When people create narratives that are not based on facts, even accompanied by calls for violent action or resisting authorities, where do we draw the line between freedom of expression and breaking the law?" Habiburokhman said.
