TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated on Thursday that he will not intervene in the case of House Speaker Setya Novanto in the House of Representatives (DPR) Ethics Council (MKD).

"I fully support the MKD process. I respect it and no intervention must be allowed to take place," he said after attending the Kompas 100 CEO Forum.

MKD has decided to accept Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Saids complaint about Setya Novantos ethical violation and follow it up.

"The process may be carried out openly or behind closed doors," MKD Deputy Chairman Junimart Girsang said at the parliament building on Tuesday.

The decision was taken after linguist Yayah Bachria confirmed that Sudirman was eligible to submit a complaint, based on the MKD's rule.

Junimart said sessions to discuss the issue would be carried out openly or behind closed doors, depending upon the requests of those summoned by the MKD.

The politician from the Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) explained his decision to allow the sessions to be carried out openly or behind closed doors being taken, based upon the consideration of possible confidential information that the persons summoned might reveal.

If the persons summoned thought the information they would convey is confidential and demanded that it be kept secret, the sessions will be conducted behind closed doors, he added.

"So, in principle sessions are open, unless there is a special request for them to be carried out behind closed doors," he stated.

Junimart said MKD would list the persons to be summoned while the first session is scheduled to be carried out next Monday.

He said the issue to be probed would be whether Minister Sudirman Saids allegation of exploitation of the names of the President and the Vice President by House Speaker Setya Novanto, who is from the Golkar Party, to demand shares in connection with PT Freeport Indonesias contract extension.

ANTARA