Sjahril questioned over scandal-linked meeting<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Governor of the Bank Indonesia (BI) Sjahril
\nSabirin on Friday maintained his alibi during questioning to
\nverify reports that he was present in a meeting linked to the
\nBank Bali scandal.<\/p>\n
\"I have already given my testimony, and I am consistent with
\nmy statement. I did not attend the meeting on Feb. 11 (last
\nyear),\" Sjahril told journalists during a break from his
\nquestioning at the Attorney General's Office.<\/p>\n
State prosecutors confronted Sjahril's statement with earlier
\ntestimony of former Bank Bali deputy chairman Firman Soetjahja
\nand another witness confirming Sjahril's attendance at a
\nrendezvous in a hotel in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In the six-hour session, prosecutors grilled Sjahril with 10
\nquestions focusing on the meeting, which led to the reimbursement
\nfrom Bank Indonesia of Rp 904 billion guaranteed by the
\ngovernment to Bank Bali for defaulted loans. Rp 546 billion of
\nthe funds were paid to PT Era Giat Prima (EGP) for services in
\nassisting Bank Bali to recoup the interbank loans.<\/p>\n
EGP is owned by businessman Djoko S. Chandra and Golkar
\nlegislator Setya Novanto. Many people suspect that the money went
\nto Golkar Party executives to help bankroll then president B.J.
\nHabibie's renomination campaign.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office has named six suspects,
\nincluding former state minister of investment and state
\nenterprises empowerment Tanri Abeng, former Bank Bali director
\nRudy Ramli and former Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN)
\ndeputy chairman Pande Lubis.<\/p>\n
Friday's questioning, the third for the central bank governor,
\nwas also aimed at determining whether Sjahril knew about the
\ncessie agreement between Bank Bali and EGP.<\/p>\n
\"I was not aware of it until I read about it in the
\nnewspapers,\" Sjahril said.<\/p>\n
He added that reimbursement of the money was finalized because
\nit was a request from Bank Bali.<\/p>\n
\"It was a request from the one who owned the money. It was
\nreimbursed by Bank Indonesia, because the bank's account was held
\nby Bank Indonesia,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
Sjahril also played down pressures on him to resign over the
\nBank Bali scandal, saying he had yet to receive an official
\nrequest for his resignation. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sjahril-questioned-over-scandal-linked-meeting-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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