Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – Indonesian Parliamentary Watchdog (Formappi) executive director Sebastian Salang lashed out at House of Representatives legislators for putting normative norms behind empathy to justify their overseas trips.

"The issue is not whether the House internal regulations allow legislators to take study trips or not, but whether they have the conscience and empathy to the people by avoiding spending on such trips," Sebastian told a discussion at the House on Friday.

Sebastian said that he could not understand what was in the legislators' minds when they insisted on going abroad amidst three natural disasters that struck the country in three different regions – Wasior in West Papua, Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta and Mentawai in West Sumatra. "Despite the disasters, the show went on. This clearly shows the lawmakers' lack of empathy," he said.

University of Indonesia sociologist Thamrin Amal Tomagola said the politicians not only lacked empathy but also shameful feeling. "They [legislators] have grown their skin as thick as that of a rhino. Because they have rhino skin, they also have hearts that are as cold as a stone. That's why I believe it will be no use if we try to wake them up," he said.

The House's honors board members recently went to Greece to learn about "political ethics", while members of the House's commission V on infrastructure went to Italy and Russia.