No blanket travel ban for bankers: Attorney General<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said on Monday
\nthat the planned travel ban would be imposed only on a limited
\nnumber of bankers.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said that bankers who were suspected of having
\ncommitted a crime, particularly the destruction of evidence,
\nwould be prohibited from travel abroad.<\/p>\n
\"We will start discussions of the travel ban policy this
\nafternoon ... But what is clear is that there will be no massive
\ntravel ban,\" he told reporters following an internal meeting.<\/p>\n
\"The travel ban will only be implemented when it is deemed
\nnecessary,\" he added.<\/p>\n
He expressed confidence that the bankers would not leave the
\ncountry during the impending investigation, pointing out that
\nthey could have left when the case broke earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Marzuki's comments contradicted earlier statements by the
\ngovernment, raising speculation that the government was easing
\npressure against bankers alleged to have abused government
\nliquidity support funds.<\/p>\n
Both Marzuki and Finance Minister Bambang Sudibyo told
\nreporters last week following a meeting with Head of the Supreme
\nAudit Agency (BPK) Satrio B. Judono, that travel bans would be
\nimmediately imposed against the owners and management of 42
\ncommercial banks to facilitate an investigation by the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office.<\/p>\n
The 42 banks were among 48 banks that received some Rp 144.5
\ntrillion (US$17.41 billion) in government liquidity support
\nbetween 1998 and 1999 to bailout the banks amid major runs.<\/p>\n
But BPK said in its recent audit report that more than Rp 138
\ntrillion of the emergency loans had been used in violation of
\nbanking regulations. The loans were supposed to be used to
\nreimburse depositors, but the bankers instead used the money to
\nlend to affiliated businesses, for currency speculation or
\nrepaying loans of subsidiary companies.<\/p>\n
The travel bans were supposed to have been implemented last
\nweek.<\/p>\n
Separately, Finance Minister Bambang Sudibyo said his office
\nhad sent the list of bankers that should be banned from traveling
\nout of the country to the Attorney General's Office.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that it was now up to the attorney general to
\nimplement the travel ban.<\/p>\n
\"Please ask the attorney general because he's the one who has
\nthe authority to impose the travel ban,\" Bambang said.<\/p>\n
\"Because the case involves the crime of destroying evidence,
\nthe authority to impose the travel ban is in the hands of the
\nattorney general,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Bambang declined to disclose the names or the number of
\nbankers included on the travel ban list.<\/p>\n
He said that his office received the names of bankers that
\nshould be banned from traveling from BPK on August 15, and after
\nstudying the list, he sent it to the Attorney General's Office
\nthe next day.<\/p>\n
Last week, Marzuki said his office would investigate the
\nowners and management of 10 closed banks because there was
\nsufficient supporting data.<\/p>\n
The banks include Bank BDNI, Bank Umum Nasional, Bank Utama
\n(Pesona), Bank Pelita, Bank Modern, Bank Istimarat, Bank
\nServitia, Bank Centris, Bank Deka and Bank Aspac.<\/p>\n
Marzuki also said at the time that some bankers had destroyed
\nevidence in an attempt to get off the hook. (rei\/bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-blanket-travel-ban-for-bankers-attorney-general-1447893297",
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