Former television news anchor and newly elected politician Meutya Hafid made the worst possible start to her new job when she failed to turn up for roll call on her first full day in office on Tuesday.
Meutya, who shot to fame when she was kidnapped on assignment for Metro TV in Iraq in 2005, was sworn in as a Golkar Party legislator on Monday to replace Burhanuddin Napitupulu who passed away earlier this year.
Anis Matta, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), opened Tuesday’s plenary session at 10:15 a.m. and welcomed three new legislators.
“The first is Meutya Hafid, please stand up,” Anis said.
After there was no response after about 20 seconds, legislators began mumbling to each other and looking around for the absent lawmaker before Anis welcomed the two new legislators who were in attendance, namely Markum Singodimejo, who replaces the late Mostokoweni from the Golkar Party, and Mei Marah Tando, who replaces former Democrat Party legislator Anas Urbaningrum who now heads the party.
Meutya, speaking later during a break in proceedings, said she had not received an official notification about the plenary meeting.
She was, however, in keeping with the House’s notoriously poor attendance rate. Out of 560 lawmakers, only 388 signed the attendance register. During Monday’s session, just 337 legislators bothered to turn up for work.
