Experience with Bank Niaga

Experience with Bank Niaga

From Bisnis Indonesia

My name is Yuwanita Purwadi. I am the wife of and legal heir to the late V. Mailuhu who died on Jan. 4, 1996. My late husband had a bank account at Bank Niaga, Kyai Tapa branch and the account number was 221.6726.2.11.

I wish to relate my bitter experience with Bank Niaga when I wanted to collect the money deposited by my late husband.

On Jan. 21, 1997 at about 3:45 p.m. I went to the bank to withdraw my husband's money. To my surprise, the customer service officer told me that my late husband's account had been closed and the balance was zero.

A man had withdrawn the money after someone claiming to be my late husband's father had given him the power of attorney. Unsatisfied with this explanation, I returned to Bank Niaga the following day, in the company of an attorney, and met Perna Ameta. I took along the necessary documents required by the bank, including an heir certificate, death certificate, family card, identity card, savings account and ATM card.

I met several officials, each of whom said he was the authorized employee to deal with my case. I was tossed from one person to another. But the case has not yet been settled. All efforts were to no avail. The bank continued to complicate procedures, a bureaucracy which is completely incomprehensible. I hope the bank feels ashamed for foolishly giving the money away to someone who had no authority to withdraw it.

I would like Bank Niaga to quickly settle the account.

YUANITA PURWADI

Address known to the editor