REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Agus Hermanto said Setya Novanto stepped down from his position as House Speaker on his own initiative.

"Novanto spokes to no one about his plan to resign. We knew his decision after he made the announcement," Agus said here on Thursday.

Novanto tendered his resignation as house speaker on Wednesday night after all members of the Parliament Honorary Tribunal voted that he was guilty of ethical code violation.

Novanto was charged with violating Parliamentary ethical code for holding secrete meetings with President Director of Freeport Indonesia Maroef Sjamsudin and asked for a share in the U.S. mining company.

Agus said there should be no more talks about what is next after Novanto resigned .

Separately Lucius Karus from the People's Forum for Parliamentary Affairs said the people wanted dismissal of Novanto not only as House Speaker but also as lawmaker.

"The MKD decided Novanto guilty of moderate and gross violation of ethical code , but it is strange that he was allowed to remain as member of the Parliament," Lucius said.

Earlier political observer Yunarto Wijaya from Charta Politika said there were a number indicators of violation of ethical code by Novanto.

First Novanto himself admitted to have met PT Freeport leader discussing extension of the contract of the company without the knowledge of the government.

The meeting itself was against the Parliamentary ethical code especially asking for a share, he said.

Meanwhile,. the attorney general office is investigating legal aspect of the Novanto case.

A transcript of conversation between Novanto, a business friend and Maroef Sjamsudin , said that Novanto used the name of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla to convince Freeport that he could secure approval for its contract extension .

Freeport, which has large copper and gold mines in Papua, is seeking extension of its contract which will expire in 2021.

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