Errant bankers

Errant bankers

We welcome Minister of Finance Bambang Subianto's statement that the government will be selective and prudent in barring errant bankers from leaving Indonesia. In any case, a number of the bankers have already demonstrated their good intentions by issuing, through their respective lawyers, signed statements declaring that they will not leave this country until legal auditing of their banks has been completed.

We, on the other hand, regret a proposal that was made by a certain Cabinet minister to publicize the names of bankers barred from traveling abroad. To do so would not only be disproportional (to their suspected offenses), it would also constitute a violation of their basic human rights and at the same time invite the question of what good would it do the nation.

It is necessary for all of us to realize that not all of the owners, managers, commissioners and directors of the 38 liquidated banks are guilty of any wrongdoing.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta