House urged to name truant legislators

JAKARTA: Certain factions in the House of Representatives have demanded that the House disciplinary committee reveal the names of truant legislators.

Arif Mudatsir Mandan and Bursah Zarnubi of the United Development Party (PPP) and the Reform Star Party (PBR) both claimed on Wednesday that disclosing names would act as a deterrent for absenteeism.

The House's disciplinary committee chairman Slamet Effendy Yusuf yesterday refused to divulge the names of the legislators, arguing that not all of them had understood the new House regulations.

Ten legislators had apparently skipped meetings three times in a row without the permission of their respective faction, thus violating the House's new code of ethics.

Arif said there was no need let the legislators off the hook because they should have known the regulations. - JP