Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The House of Representatives' ethics council has decided to retain Democratic Party lawmaker M. Nasir, whose brother M. Nazaruddin is facing graft charges, despite Nasir's apparent violation of the House's code of ethics.

"Nasir is proven guilty of violating the House's ethics by using his identity as a House member to visit his brother Nazaruddin [in prison]. We have issued an official warning to him, and suspended him from House Commission III, overseeing legal affairs," the House's council deputy speaker Siswono said.

M. Nasir has been transferred to House Commission XI overseeing finance, national development planning, banking and non-bank financial institutions.

Siswono did not explain why the House was retaining Nasir, but hoped that "errant lawmakers would realize their mistake and make amends by using their conscience."

Nasir made an unannounced prison visit to his brother Nazaruddin late in the evening on Feb. 8. The visit raised suspicions over a possible political intervention in the prosecution of Nazaruddin, a former Democratic Party treasurer, who is implicated in a bribery case connected to the SEA Games athletes' village in Palembang, South Sumatra.