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View all search resultsHouse ethics ruling on lawmakers deemed lackluster
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University students gather outside the House of Representatives building during a protest against lawmakers’ housing allowances in Jakarta on Sept. 1, 2025. (Reuters/Willy Kurniawan)
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tudent associations and analysts have lamented the House of Representatives ethics committee decision on lawmakers whose alleged arrogance angered people during August’s demonstrations, saying the sanctions against only three of the politicians were “not enough” of a deterrent.
The ethics committee ruled on Wednesday that lawmakers Ahmad Sahroni and Nafa Urbach of the Nasdem Party and Eko “Patrio” Hendro Purnomo of the National Mandate Party (PAN) were guilty of violating the ethics code over their viral comments and conduct in August. Their perceived arrogance upset people before growing public discontent over economic inequality and lavish housing allowance for lawmakers fueled nationwide protests later that month.
Among the most cited incidents were Sahroni’s remarks calling demonstrators who called for the House to be dissolved “the dumbest people in the world”, Nafa’s comment that the lawmakers’ perks were necessary for their housing in Jakarta and Eko’s celebratory dance at the legislative complex.
This prompted student groups to file complaints against the three politicians, along with their two colleagues, Adies Kadir of the Golkar Party and Surya “Uya Kuya” Utama of PAN, with the ethics committee in September.
For their violations, Sahroni, Nafa and Eko were suspended from their roles in the legislature for six months, three months and four months, respectively. They will not receive salaries during their suspension.
The committee said they did not deserve harsher punishments, noting that hoaxes on social media had exacerbated their cases.
“However, [Nafa] should be careful when expressing her opinions in public and be sensitive to situations [in public] and social context,” Imron Amin, one of four deputy chairs of the committee, said on Wednesday.
