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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Indonesia’s DPD ethics body to summon Arya over attendance at Thai transgender contest

From CNN Indonesia · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Indonesia’s DPD ethics council plans to summon Bali senator I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna over his attendance at the Miss Equality World transgender beauty contest in Thailand.
  • The council will examine his purpose and role at the event, any use of official symbols or facilities, and reports that a military member accompanied him.
  • Arya says he attended as a Balinese cultural, tourism and Hindu figure, not as a DPD representative.

Indonesia’s DPD ethics council will summon Bali senator I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna after photos linked him to the Miss Equality World transgender beauty contest in Thailand.

The ethics body will examine the facts in full, including the purpose of the attendance, the person's capacity, the invitation and event organizers, the form of involvement, the use of symbols or facilities related to the position, and the connection between the activity and duties as a DPD member.

· Hasby YusufThe DPD ethics council chairman outlined the issues it plans to investigate.

Council chairman Hasby Yusuf said he understood Arya’s explanation that he attended as a private individual and as a Balinese cultural, tourism and Hindu figure. But he said membership in the DPD remains part of a public official’s identity, meaning public activities must meet standards of propriety and protect the institution’s reputation.

The council said it would establish the full facts, including the purpose of Arya’s attendance, the capacity in which he took part, the invitation and organizers, his involvement in the event, and whether he used symbols or facilities connected with his office. It will also clarify reports that a member of the Indonesian military accompanied him, examining the matter under rules governing official assignments and security for state officials.

Being a DPD member means carrying the standards of the office's honor in every public space.

· Hasby YusufHe explained why Arya’s public conduct could fall under ethics review.

Hasby said the ethics body should not reach conclusions based only on photographs, videos or media reports. It would assess the event’s context and determine whether Arya breached ethical rules, standards of propriety or other provisions governing DPD members. If the examination finds a violation, the council will act within its authority.

The ethics body's principle is simple: it does not look for members' mistakes, but it also does not turn a blind eye to issues involving the institution's honor.

· Hasby YusufHe described the council’s stated approach to the inquiry.

Arya has already denied attending in his capacity as a senator. “I came representing a Hindu institution, as a Balinese figure, so it had no connection with my position anywhere,” he said.

I came representing a Hindu institution, as a Balinese figure, so it had no connection with my position anywhere.

· I Gusti Ngurah Arya WedakarnaArya explained that he did not attend the Thai event as a DPD member.
About this summary

Originally published by CNN Indonesia in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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