Mar'ie denies misusing bank liquidity support<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Mar'ie Muhammad denied on Wednesday allegations
\nhe was involved in abuse of multibillion dollar bank emergency
\nliquidity support during his tenure as finance minister.<\/p>\n
Mar'ie said he never set out to design a banking policy for
\npersonal gain.<\/p>\n
\"I had no intention to design a policy to seek profit for
\nmyself. Although as a human being, I'm not free from mistakes,\"
\nhe said on the sidelines of a business seminar.<\/p>\n
\"I'm sure that my other colleagues also did not have bad
\nintentions.\"<\/p>\n
Mar'ie was responding to the findings of the House of
\nRepresentatives, which named him as well as other former senior
\neconomic ministers and top Bank Indonesia officials among those
\nimplicated in the loan scandal.<\/p>\n
The House also named on Tuesday former coordinating minister
\nfor the economy, finance and industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita,
\nMar'ie's succeeding finance ministers Fuad Bawazier and Bambang
\nSubianto, as well as Bank Indonesia Governor Sjahril Sabirin and
\nhis predecessor Soedradjad Djiwandono.<\/p>\n
Legislators requested the attorney general follow up on the
\nfindings.<\/p>\n
Mar'ie said the findings of the House special investigative
\nteam led people to believe the liquidity support policy was
\nintentionally designed for abuse.<\/p>\n
\"This is dangerous. I think there's a group of people which is
\ntrying to stir up a hornet's nest,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The government provided some Rp 164.5 trillion (US$22.08
\nbillion) in liquidity support between late 1997 and 1998 to help
\nbanks facing massive runs on deposits amid plunging confidence in
\nthe industry. The funds also were used to cover the obligations
\nof closed institutions.<\/p>\n
But a general audit conducted by the Supreme Audit Agency
\n(BPK) revealed that some Rp 80 trillion of the liquidity support
\nmight have been channeled inappropriately.<\/p>\n
The bulk of the liquidity support went to four banks,
\nincluding ones owned by relatives of former president Soeharto
\nand their associates.<\/p>\n
Separately, Bank Indonesia's legal affairs chief Amir
\nSafruddin said the House findings only mentioned the former top
\ngovernment officials and Bank Indonesia officials as sources for
\nthe House investigative team, not as those implicated in the loan
\nscandal.<\/p>\n
\"As sources, these people should be protected by the law,\" he
\ntold a news conference.<\/p>\n
Amir said that a source could not be questioned as a suspect
\nby the Attorney General's Office.<\/p>\n
He said that questioning could only be carried out if there
\nwas enough preliminary evidence, which would only be available
\nafter BPK and the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP)
\ncompleted their investigative audit sometime in April or May.<\/p>\n
The central bank has been under pressure to explain its role
\nin channeling the liquidity support policy. There also have been
\nmounting calls for Sjahril to step down from his position due to
\nallegations he erred in the implementation of the policy.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said that his
\noffice would meet on Thursday with BPKP to coordinate ways to
\nimmediately resolve the matter.<\/p>\n
\"We'll try to find practical ways,\" Marzuki said. (rei\/01)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/marie-denies-misusing-bank-liquidity-support-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }