Data processing hampers probe of corruption cases

Data processing hampers probe of corruption cases

JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said on
Thursday data processing was an obstacle in investigating alleged
corruption cases involving conglomerates.

"There are no legal obstacles, only problems in processing
data because there is so much data spread across so many
institutions," Marzuki said.

Marzuki said there was data from Bank Indonesia, the Supreme
Audit Agency and the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency, some
of which was different from data obtained by the Attorney
General's Office.

"We are trying to overcome the problems by consolidating the
data from the different sources," he said.

Marzuki was responding to calls from the public, as well as
from House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung, to bring
conglomerate owners allegedly involved in corruption to court.

Akbar mentioned three specific businessmen in making his
demand on Tuesday: Marimutu Sinivasan, Prajogo Pangestu and
Syamsul Nursalim.

Syamsul is the owner and founder of the Gadjah Tunggal Group,
Prajogo controls PT Barito Pacific Timber and Marimutu is the
owner of the textile firm Texmaco Group.

The three businessmen have been accused of financial
wrongdoings and are massively indebted to the government.

According to Marzuki, his office has summoned Syamsul twice.
"We are waiting for his arrival. We heard that he has heart
problems and is in Palembang right now. But there is still an
official summons for him."

Marzuki said no action had been taken against Marimutu because
President Abdurrahman Wahid had ordered a delay to the legal
proceedings against the businessman. The President said he
ordered the delay because of the Texmaco Group's importance to
Indonesian exports.

The attorney general added that Prajogo's case was being
studied.

Marzuki also discussed the issue of the alleged misuse by
banks of liquidity support they received from Bank Indonesia.
Some Rp 144 trillion (US$14.4 billion) of this liquidity support
was allegedly misused by private banks.

"And there are a number of state banks that allegedly misused
some Rp 271 trillion (of liquidity support). These banks have not
yet been investigated," he said.

The House of Representatives and the Supreme Audit Agency, he
added, had to treat state banks the same as private banks and
audit them, adding that state banks had never been subject to
audits.

Marzuki said his office had examined 23 of 48 banks that
received liquidity support from Bank Indonesia. So far, only the
now-defunct Bank Aspac has been brought to court.

Separately on Thursday, the head of the Supreme Audit Agency,
Satrio B. Judono, questioned Marzuki's statements, saying the
total amount of Bank Indonesia liquidity support for both private
and state banks was only Rp 144.4 trillion.

"This is based on data from Bank Indonesia and Coordinating
Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli. So the attorney general has
to clarify his statements," he said as quoted by Antara news
agency.

Satrio also denied the Supreme Audit Agency only focused its
efforts on private banks. The agency, he said, has examined over
48 banks that accepted the liquidity support.

"Maybe it is too much for the Attorney General's Office to
examine all of the banks at the same time," Satrio said.

According to Satrio, the investigation of bank liquidity
support cases is a three-step process. Bank Indonesia officials
must be examined, the usage of the liquidity support has to be
traced and it has to be determined how much of the liquidity
support has been returned to Bank Indonesia.

The Supreme Audit Agency has completed the first two steps for
the banks it has examined, while the third step is ongoing, he
said. (hdn)