Suharto’s former ruling party Golkar, which for years has stood by Setya Novanto in the face of a string of corruption scandals, is moving quickly to distance itself from the House speaker and party chair who they now see as an electoral liability following his arrest by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) last week.

Novanto meanwhile, who was hospitalised for injuries sustained in a car accident attempting to evade arrest, continues to deny any wrong doing and has pleaded with the House to let him keep his job while he fights the charges.