Police freeze bank accounts of religious affairs ministry
Police freeze bank accounts of religious affairs ministry
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The National Police have frozen bank accounts held by the
Ministry of Religious Affairs worth Rp 684 billion (US$72
million) in relation to an alleged graft case within the
institution.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko D.A. said on
Tuesday that the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) had found
irregularities in the management of haj funds after it had
audited the ministry.
"According to Law No. 17/1999, the unused money collected for
the haj must be kept in a single bank account," Soenarko said
during a gathering, accompanied by chief of detectives Comr. Gen.
Makbul Padmanegara.
He said the haj funds, totaling Rp 11 billion, had been
managed professionally until 2002.
However from 2003 until now, the unused money has been kept in
separate accounts, with lack of transparency in the management of
the funds, thus raising suspicion of corruption.
He said those who managed the haj money could make a huge
profit from the interest gained by keeping the haj fees in
accounts.
Members of the House of Representatives have accused the
government of being monopolistic in managing haj affairs.
Thus, the police moved to freeze the bank accounts containing
some Rp 600 billion in haj funds, and another Rp 84 billion in
welfare funds for the ministry's employees.
However, Soenarko refused to mention whether any ministry
officials had been questioned in the case, saying the information
would not be disclosed for the sake of the police's
investigation.
"We also need time before we can name any suspects. Let the
police investigators do their work," Soenarko said.
Alleged graft in the Ministry of Religious Affairs was one of
five cases being handled by an inter-departmental corruption
eradication team chaired by Hendarman Supandji, who is also
deputy attorney general for special crimes at the Attorney
General's Office (AGO).
Hendarman passed the case over to the National Police since
they had already begun to investigate the graft case.
The fight against corruption is one of President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono's top priority.
Indonesia sends about 205,000 haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia
every year. Each pilgrim must pay around Rp 24 million and the
country collects about Rp 5.28 trillion from the haj each year.
Indonesian pilgrims have to pay more than Malaysians. The cost
in Malaysia is about 8,973 ringgit (around Rp 20 million),
including a return air fare and accommodation in Saudi Arabia.