DPD Ethics Committee to Summon Arya Wedakarna
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The DPD Ethics Committee (BK) will summon Senator I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna, representing Bali, to investigate alleged ethical violations following his attendance at the Miss Equality World 2026 event in Bangkok, Thailand.
Miss Equality World is an international beauty pageant for transgender women. According to the DPD Ethics Committee, every senator is required to consider propriety, the honour of their office, and the impact on the institution’s image in every public action and activity.
“The Ethics Committee has decided to summon I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna in this case,” stated DPD Ethics Committee Chairman Hasby Yusuf in a press statement received in Jakarta on Thursday.
Hasby explained that the committee will delve into the capacity and purpose of Arya’s attendance. The investigation will also examine the nature of his involvement in the event, the use of any attributes or facilities related to his office, and the connection between the event and the duties of a DPD member.
“This includes investigating reports regarding the presence of TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) personnel providing assistance during the activity,” he said.
These aspects must be reviewed factually in accordance with regulations regarding the assignment and security of state officials, including the Laws governing the MPR, DPR, DPD, and DPRD, the TNI Law, the Protocol Law, and DPD Regulation Number 1 of 2024 concerning Rules of Procedure.
“Being a member of the DPD RI means upholding the standards of office honour in every public space, but the Ethics Committee must not draw conclusions based solely on photos, videos, or news reports. What must be examined are the facts, the capacity of attendance, the context of the activity, and whether any ethical provisions were breached,” said Hasby.
He noted that while every DPD member has the right to engage in activities as a citizen, such freedom must be balanced with the ethical responsibilities of a public official.
If the investigation finds actions that contradict the code of ethics, propriety, the honour of the office, or other applicable provisions for DPD members, the Ethics Committee will take action within its authority.
“The principle of the Ethics Committee is simple: we do not seek out faults in members, but we also cannot turn a blind eye to issues concerning the honour of the institution,” said Hasky.
Arya Wedakarna attended the final night of Miss Equality World 2026 in Bangkok on 30 August 2026. Arya stated that his attendance was not in his capacity as a representative of the DPD, but in his personal capacity as a figure in Balinese culture, tourism, and Hinduism.
“We did not use our identity as a member of the DPD, but as the leader of the Hindu institution I head and as a Balinese cultural figure. During the climax of the event, there was a celebration where I was included to receive an award alongside other figures,” he said, as quoted from his official Instagram post, @aryawedakarna.