LP3HI: Bank Mandiri Not Authorised to Block Accounts
Bank Mandiri is considered not to have the authority to unilaterally block customer accounts without a request or order from law enforcement officials.
According to the Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Legal Monitoring, Oversight and Enforcement Institute (LP3HI), Kurniawan Adi Nugroho, in cases of alleged criminal offences, banks essentially only carry out requests from law enforcement officials (APH).
“Therefore, if the blocking is carried out based on an official request from law enforcement, the action cannot immediately be regarded as a unilateral decision by the bank,” he said in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday (26/8/2026).
He referred to Article 70 paragraph (1) and Article 71 paragraph (1) of the Anti-Money Laundering Law (UU TPPU), which grant authority to investigators, public prosecutors or judges to postpone transactions in order to prevent account holders from moving assets suspected of originating from criminal acts.
Therefore, if Bank Mandiri carries out a blocking after receiving a request from the authorities, according to Kurniawan, what needs to be examined first is the basis, authority and procedure of that request.
Kurniawan understands the bank’s position of having to balance the interests of law enforcement with the protection of customers.
According to him, banks have no interest in blocking accounts unilaterally, but are also obliged to comply with official requests from the authorities.
In the context of Bank Mandiri, Kurniawan believes the public needs to distinguish between the party requesting the blocking and the party executing the blocking.
He said Law Number 20 of 2025 concerning the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) places blocking as an action that can be carried out by investigators, public prosecutors or judges. Article 140 paragraph (1) regulates this authority.
“Thus, the bank is not the party that independently determines that an account must be blocked. The bank carries out the process based on the request and legal basis from the authorised authorities,” he said.