Indonesia's parliament speaker quit his post today over allegations he tried to extort a stake in the Indonesian unit of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan.
Setya Novanto's resignation came as the legislature's ethics council was wrapping up an investigation into claims he made the demand to Freeport Indonesia's chief in exchange for promising the miner it could continue operations in the country.
After lawmakers on the council found he had committed a violation, but before a final ruling was handed down, Novanto submitted his resignation, bringing the probe to an end.
In his letter of resignation, Novanto said he hoped his resignation was "in the interest of the nation, the state and the people of Indonesia".
Despite quitting as speaker, he will remain a lawmaker.
The scandal has dominated the news in Indonesia in recent weeks, with many watching the ethics council hearings live on television. The case has also highlighted the continued uncertainty for foreign companies doing business in corruption-riddled Indonesia.
The controversy erupted several weeks ago when the energy minister handed a recording of Novanto allegedly demanding 20 percent of shares in Freeport's Indonesian unit to the ethics council.
During the council's investigation, key evidence was provided by the head of Freeport's Indonesian unit, Maroef Sjamsuddin.
Sjamsuddin -- the former deputy chief of Indonesia's national spy agency -- testified how he used his mobile phone to secretly record Novanto demanding the shares in a June meeting.
He then handed the recording to authorities, triggering the investigation.
Novanto also used the name of President Joko Widodo and the vice president when making his demands. He later claimed his remarks were a joke.
Freeport, which operates one of the one of the world's biggest gold and copper mines in Indonesia, is locked in negotiations about extending its contract in the country, which expires in 2021.
Novanto has sparked controversy before. He received a warning from the ethics council after he appeared during a September visit to the US with presidential hopeful Donald Trump, and claimed that Indonesians value him "highly".
