The Daily Star's FREE newsletter is spectacular! Sign up today for the best stories straight to your inbox Sign up today! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A child protection official has been slammed for suggesting women can get pregnant from swimming in a pool with men.

Sitti Hikmawatty, an official for the Commission for the Protection of Indonesian Children (KPAI), has been urged to resign for saying women can get pregnant while swimming in a pool with men.

The commissioner, and university lecturer, made the comments during an interview with Jakarta Tribune on Friday.

During the interview, reporters asked Hikmawatty sensitive questions about premarital sex and illegal abortion clinics in Indonesia.

She went on to give example about how women become pregnant, which resulted in the statement.

Hikmawatty said: "Pregnancy can happen without contact, like with a swimming pool acting as a media, for example.

"There is an especially strong type of male sperm that may cause pregnancy in a swimming pool.

"Even without penetration, men may become sexually excited and ejaculate, therefore causing a pregnancy.

"If women are in a phase where they are sexually active, a pregnancy may occur.

"No one knows for sure how men react to the sight of women in a swimming pool."

(Image: Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)

The commissioner has since retracted the controversial statement and said it was inaccurate.

She also issued a press release to the Jakarta Tribune and stated that the "personal statement and not from the KPAI."

Indonesian Doctors Association executive Nazar said it was "impossible" for women to get pregnant in a swimming pool.

The KPAI itself has issued an official response to the public backlash, saying that Sitti’s statement did not represent the organisation.

“We hereby state that KPAI’s understanding and attitude are not reflected in the online news narrative,” KPAI chairman Susanto wrote in the statement on Saturday."