Govt makes progress in fake export probe<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An interdepartmental government team has
\nresolved to initiate court proceedings against a number of
\nentrepreneurs for forging export documents. It reached its
\ndecision after establishing that the businessmen's actions had
\ncaused financial losses to the government.<\/p>\n
The team had previously been locked in a debate about whether
\nthere were grounds for prosecution. Reports of fictitious exports
\nwere first made by the directorate general of customs and excise.<\/p>\n
\"We already have enough evidence to bring the suspects
\ninvolved in the export documents scheme to trial,\" Attorney
\nGeneral Singgih said, after presiding over meeting of the team at
\nhis office yesterday. \"However, we cannot determine the extent of
\nthe state losses at this stage as we are waiting for the monetary
\nauthorities to complete their own investigations.\"<\/p>\n
Singgih declined to mention the names of the suspects, saying
\nthat the investigation had only just begun.<\/p>\n
According to a preliminary investigation, the forged documents
\nwere used by the entrepreneurs to obtain subsidized credits from
\nstate banks.<\/p>\n
The issue first arose in the middle of last year with the
\nallegation that Kim Johannes Mulia, the owner of a huge textile
\ncompany, had been making fictitious exports to Singapore to
\nobtain credits from Bapindo, a state-owned bank.<\/p>\n
The allegation was made after Johannes came into public view
\nwhile attempting to bail out a large textile firm that was on the
\nverge of bankruptcy. The takeover bid failed eventually amidst an
\nuproar over the alleged fraud.<\/p>\n
Johannes has since been barred from traveling overseas pending
\nthe completion of the investigation. Two other businessmen, Abauw
\nalias Ganda and Jenner Yusman, have also been barred from leaving
\nthe country, reportedly over similar fraud allegations.<\/p>\n
Singgih yesterday gave an exposition of the preliminary
\nfindings. The meeting was attended by the Director General of
\nTax, Fuad Bawazier; the Director General of Custom and Excise,
\nSoehardjo; and Director General of Foreign Trade, Djoko Moeljono.
\nAlso in attendance was a director of Bank Indonesia, Hendro
\nBudianto, along with other officials.<\/p>\n
Chairul Imam, acting spokesman for the Attorney General's
\nOffice, said the suspects had all operated in the same way. They
\nhad forged documents certifying shipments of garments which had
\nnever, in fact, been made. The forged documents were used to
\nsupport applications to banks for export credits.(imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-makes-progress-in-fake-export-probe-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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