BI governor surrenders passport
JAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia governor Sjahril Sabirin handed over on Tuesday his passport to the Directorate General of Immigration in response to the government regulation that bans crime suspects from traveling overseas.
The then minister of justice and human rights, Marsilam Simanjuntak, signed in July a decree banning crime suspects from traveling overseas. The decree was, however, enforced last month, and some crime suspects have been summoned by the Directorate General of Immigration to submit their passports, starting Sept. 14.
Director General of Immigration Iman Santosa said on Tuesday that the ministerial decree was meant to end misinterpretation by offices and institutions dealing with travel bans for crime suspects.
The decree authorizes that the Directorate General of Immigration is the only institution that may lawfully issue such a travel ban.
In the past crime suspects, especially the "big guns", could travel overseas without restriction, despite the fact that their cases were still being processed. Most of them said they we going abroad for medical reasons.
As of this month, the immigration office had summoned 36 of 201 crime suspects, who were also banned from traveling overseas, to return their passports.
Besides Sjahril, former president Soeharto, his daughter Siti Hardijanti Hastuti Rukmana, his grandson Ari Haryo Wibowo alias Ari Sigit, former minister of finance Ali Wardana, former head of the State Logistics Agency Beddu Amang, former president of state oil and gas company Pertamina Faisal Abda'oe, Bank Bali scandal suspect Erman Munzir, the wife of magnate Syamsul Nursalim, Itjih, and textile company graft suspect Marimutu Sinivasan submitted their passports on Thursday.
Four other "big" suspects who have also returned their passports are businessmen Prayogo Pangestu, Adie Poernomo Widjaya, Johannes Budi Sutrisno Kotjo and Robby Tjahjadi.
Sjahril is accused of being involved in the notorious Rp 54 billion (US$57.4 million) Bank Bali scandal.
He had previously asked the Attorney General's Office to allow him attend an annual meeting of bank governors in the United States at the end of this month. The request was refused.
According to Iman, the suspects are expected to submit their passports to the Immigration directorate general from Monday to Thursday. "Those who cannot make it will be given another two weeks before the Directorate General of Immigration declares that their passports are no longer valid."
"Hopefully, the suspects will comply with the summons, or they will receive a warning within a week. If they comply, the third summons, which warns that their passport is no longer valid, will be issued," he said.
Iman added that the Attorney General's Office, the Ministry of Finance and the Indonesian Military (TNI) had joined hands with his office to monitor the implementation of the decree. (bby)