JAKARTA: The speaker of Indonesia's parliament, who is being investigated for his suspected involvement in a $170 million graft scandal, has tendered his resignation, two members of the assembly said on Monday.
Setya Novanto was arrested last month over his suspected role in the scandal linked to a national electronic identity card scheme.
Anti-corruption investigators then took him into custody from where he sent a letter to assembly leaders pleading to be allowed to keep his job while he fought the charges.
"Mr Novanto has resigned," member of parliament Yandri Susanto told Reuters, referring to a letter in which Novanto announced his decision.
"He didn't say why."
A replacement for him as speaker was expected to be decided by his party, Golkar, at an extraordinary meeting on Dec 19, said Dito Ganinduto, a member of parliament from Novanto's Golkar party.
Novanto had not resigned as chairman of Golkar, Ganinduto said.
A lawyer for Novanto, Maqdir Ismail, deferred questions on the matter to acting Golkar chairman Idrus Marham.
Novanto had clung to power through several previous corruption cases.
His latest battle with the graft agency has gripped Indonesia, where newspapers have splashed the story on front pages and memes mocking him have circulated on social media.