Vaudine England, Jakarta – Parliament adopted a new code of ethics this week, but experts said it would have little impact on attendance and the practice of buying and selling votes.

The code of ethics had not been substantially revised since the days of former president Suharto, when the rules were geared to preventing criticism of the government in what used to be largely a rubber-stamp body. The revised code now firmly enshrines the right to criticise. The revised code also increases penalties for absenteeism, but the practices of bribery and collusion remained unaffected by the code, analysts say, while the penalties for misbehaviour remain conveniently unclear.

Breaches of the code are to be handled by an ad hoc committee that has not yet been formed. "I don't think they're interested in establishing a code of conduct," said Julia Suryakusuma, founder and editor of the Indonesian Parliament Guide, the first detailed guide to parliamentary practice and personalities. "I think Parliament thinks it has all the power, and they don't want it bridled in any way. That's the essence of it."