Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Lawmaker Martin Hutabarat from the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) says the presence of an "evil spirit" at the House of Representatives has prompted many lawmakers to become corrupt.

"There is an evil spirit here. That is why many of us are also evil," he said Thursday at the House during a discussion, following the arrest of graft suspect Angelina Sondakh.

Angelina is implicated in alleged bribery over the construction of the last year's SEA Games athletes' village, along with former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin and fellow lawmaker I Wayan Koster from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

He added that the presence of the evil spirit also moved corrupt lawmakers to "sacrifice" others in their evil deeds. "A lawmaker who is proven guilty of any irregularities will immediately find that others are also punished," he said.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has also detained National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker Wa Ode Nurhayati over her alleged involvement in the illegal disbursement of the Regional Infrastructure Development Acceleration (PPID) funds in 2010.

While confessing to wrongdoing, Nurhayati urged the anti-graft body to question fellow lawmakers Melchias Markus Mekeng (Golkar), Tamsil Linrung (PKS), Olly Dondokambey (PDI-P) and Mirwan Amir (Democratic Party) for their alleged roles in the scandal. (dmr)