Anita Rachman, Jakarta – Leaders in the House of Representatives pushed for a resolution to the case of eight legislators accused of taking a two-day jaunt to Turkey on the taxpayers' dime, hinting that the scandal was linked to internal conflict between the lawmakers.
The legislators in question are from the House Ethics Council. Their stop in Turkey came after they left Greece, where they had gone on a controversial trip to study parliamentary ethics.
Two of the council members, deputy chairman Nudirman Munir and Chairuman Harahap, both from the Golkar Party, defended the stop in Turkey, saying it was necessary due to the schedules of their connecting flights.
Ethics Council chairman Gayus Lumbuun, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said all eight would need to be suspended and replaced before they could face an ethics tribunal.
On Tuesday, House Deputy Speaker Pramono Anung, also from PDI-P, said the controversy must be brought to an end or the House would risk losing all credibility.
He said the matter could only be resolved by a high-level discussion between the House speakers and faction leaders. "We need to take immediate action, especially given the House's deteriorating image, what with all the negative coverage of lawmakers," he said.
Anis Matta, a deputy speaker from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said House and faction leaders would meet later on Tuesday to discuss the case. "We look forward to the PDI-P's response to this matter and a show of their commitment to the Ethics Council," he said.
He was referring to a claim made by Nudirman on Monday that the controversy might stem from an internal conflict between members of the Ethics Council. Most council members have called for Gayus to be replaced as chairman.
Meanwhile, Tjahjo Kumolo, House chairman of the PDI-P, said the council should resolve the spat internally.
He said that while his party was could transfer Gayus to another post within the House, such a move would be inappropriate and unethical if based simply on demands from others. "Only if we have proof of his wrongdoing can we transfer him," he said.
Tjahjo stressed that transferring Gayus without any such proof would set a bad precedent, leading parties to call for the transfer of legislators simply because they disliked them.
Nudirman previously denied the group had spent taxpayer money on entertainment, including a reported belly-dancing show, while in Turkey.