Indonesian anti-porn MP quits for watching porn in parliament

A member of parliament from an Islamic party which promoted anti-pornography legislation has resigned after being caught watching porn in parliament. Mr Arifinto of the Islamic Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) was photographed looking at the images on Friday. He said he had inadvertently opened an email link which led him to the images.



Pornography has become one of the testing grounds of conservative Islam's influence over politics in Indonesia. "For the recent developing media coverage, I apologise to all members of the party and parliament," Mr Arifinto - who goes by one name - told a news conference. "I will continue to work for my party.

"I'm also going to continue to better myself, by repentance, reading the Koran and asking for guidance." The PKS was the driving force behind anti-pornography legislation, so that when one of its lawmakers was caught out, he was shown no mercy. If it is proved that Mr Arifinto was indeed downloading a pornographic movie, as photography of his behaviour appears to show, he could find himself charged with a law of his own party's making.


YouTube link.

"PKS lawmakers are human. What happened to [Arifinto] could happen to anybody else," said the head of the party's Shariah Body, Surahman Hidayat. Members of other faiths and ethnic groups in the sprawling nation, including many moderate Muslims, have criticised the anti-pornography laws for constraining freedom of cultural expression.