The National Commission for the Protection of Indonesian Children (KPAI) Commissioner Sitti Hikmawatty’s job may be on the line as she is due to face an ethics committee for her now infamous viral statement, in which she said that women can get pregnant from swimming in a pool with men (without sexual contact, we should add).
During a press conference at its Jakarta HQ today, KPAI says it will form a 3-person ethics committee to determine whether or not Sitti committed any violations with her statement.
“The ethics committee will seek clarifications from [Sitti] regarding her statement. It will then give its best recommendation at a KPAI plenary meeting, and we will decide then,” KPAI Chairman Susanto said on Sitti’s fate, as quoted by Detik.
Susanto also stressed that Sitti’s statement does not represent KPAI’s views.
Sitti, who oversees child protection matters related to health and illegal narcotics, gave a video interview to Tribun Jakarta published last Friday. In it, she began to touch on the issue of premarital sex and illegal abortion clinics in Indonesia, and then went on to give what has now become an infamous viral statement.
“[Pregnancy] can happen without contact, like with a swimming pool acting as a median, for example. Some types of sperm are really strong,” she said.
“Even though there’s no penetration, the man [in the pool] can get aroused and ejaculate, causing pregnancy.”
Sitti herself initially said her claim was based on a study, but later admitted in a statement that it was wrong and apologized for it amid widespread calls for her resignation. She also pleaded with the public not to further circulate her claim or make it go viral.
In case you’re wondering, no, the science behind her statement is completely bogus.
