TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy Chairman of House of Representative's (DPR) Ethics Council (MKD) Sarifuddin Sudding said that he would grant the request of former DPR Speaker Setya Novanto to regain his reputation. He was put on trial on the allegation of violating the ethical code in the Freeport shakedown case.

MKD has received a letter from Novanto that has attached a verdict from Constitutional Court No. 20/2016. The verdict from the MK has stated that the recording evidence is considered invalid and is not legally binding. Novanto said that the trial which had the recording as evidence has tarnished his dignity and reputation.

“Based on this reason, we have granted Setyas Novanto’s request in reintroducing the trial process,” Sudding told Tempo on Wednesday, September 28, 2016.

He added that the MKD held a meeting and decided to rebuild Setya Novanto's reputation.

Last December, MKD held an assembly regarding the ethical code violation that Setya Novanto allegedly had done. Earlier, the former Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said reported that Setya Novanto had allegedly used the names of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla to get a stake in PT Freeport for his personal gains.

Sudirman enclosed a recording of the conversation between Setya, the President Director of PT Freeport Indonesia Maroef Sjamsoeddin, and oil tycoon Riza Chalid. The Ethics Council had granted Setya with sanction but before the hearing ended, Setya chose to resign from his position as the House speaker.

AHMAD FAIZ