APSN Banner

Facts behind Rieke Diah Pitaloka's summoning by the ethics committee for rejecting 12 percent VAT

Source
Tempo - January 2, 2025

Hammam Izzuddin, Eko Ari Wibowo, Jakarta – The House of Representatives Ethics Committee (MKD) will summon a member of the House of Representatives, Rieke Diah Pitaloka, for alleged ethical violations. Rieke was reported by a person named Alfadjri Aditia Prayoga, who felt that the PDIP politician was provoking the public to reject the value-added tax policy or PN 12 percent.

Previously, Rieke uploaded a video rejecting the 12 percent VAT with the hashtags #ViralForJustice and #TolakK kenaikanPPN12% (reject VAT 12% rise) on December 5 and 6, 2024. "Let's fight together. Let's fight for the rejection of the 12 percent VAT increase," Rieke said before the meeting began at the parliament complex, Senayan, on Thursday, December 5, 2024.

Rieke Diah's reporting chronology

Alfadjri Aditia Prayoga reported Rieke through a complaint letter on December 20, 2024. Alfadjri reported Rieke for an alleged violation of the code of ethics for uploading a statement rejecting the 12 percent VAT.

"Alleged violation of the code of ethics for your statement in the content uploaded on social media accounts related to the invitation or provocation to reject the 12 percent VAT policy," reads the summons for the hearing signed by Chairman MKD of the House of Representatives Nazaruddin Dek Gam on December 27, 2024.

According to the letter, MKD was originally scheduled to hear Rieke on Monday, December 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at the Nusantara I Building, Senayan, Central Jakarta. However, the hearing was eventually postponed until the DPR recess ended. The DPR is known to be in recess until January 20, 2025.

Dek Gam confirmed the postponement of Rieke's summoning hearing schedule. "Yes, it was postponed, probably later after entering the session period. Because we checked, members are still in the electoral districts. Some are still celebrating Christmas too," he told Tempo, on Sunday, December 29, 2024.

PDIP criticizes the summoning

The polemic led PDIP DPP Chairman Deddy Yevri Sitorus to criticize MKD. Deddy said the report on violating the code of ethics against Rieke Diah Pitaloka would impact the critical power of DPR members.

"What MKD is doing will impact the critical power of DPR members and has the potential to make people lose trust in the DPR institution," he said when contacted by Tempo, on Monday, December 30, 2024.

According to him, the DPR is an institution that carries out the function of checks and balances on the management of government power. The supervisory function, said Deddy, is carried out and manifested by members of the DPR.

"What should be at issue is if DPR members are ignorant, immune to the duties and aspirations of the community," he said.

MKD is considered problematic

In addition, Researcher of the Indonesian Parliamentary Care Society Forum (Formappi) Lucius Karus assessed that MKD has currently been used to silence the critical attitude of board members. "A critical attitude that should be appreciated should not be considered an unethical act," said Lucius when contacted, Tuesday, December 31, 2024.

According to Lucius, it is only natural for a board member to criticize the government. He also regretted the MKD's attitude which considered the criticism as an ethical violation.

Lucius assessed that it was precisely MKD's move to process complaints against Rieke. Because, said Lucius, what Rieke did was an effort to uphold the muruah of parliament for carrying out the supervisory function.

Rieke Diah's response

After receiving a letter from MKD, Rieke Diah requested information about the verification of witness and expert testimony results. She needed the information to prepare for giving testimony in the MKD hearing.

As a complainant, Rieke felt that she really needed verified information about the social media content material referred to by the complainant regarding the alleged invitation or provocation to reject the 12 percent VAT policy. Through a post on Instagram @riekediahp on Monday, December 30, 2024, she also requested verified information about material and/or immaterial losses due to the social media content for complainant Alfadjri Aditia Prayoga.

– Annisa Febiola and Nandito Putra contributed to the writing of this article.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1959192/facts-behind-rieke-diah-pitalokas-summoning-by-the-ethics-committee-for-rejecting-12-percent-va

Country