Police to probe Made Oka's assets

JAKARTA (JP): The City Police are awaiting an official permit from the Minister of Finance to allow officers to investigate the bank account of one of the main suspects in the Rp 1.2 trillion (US$444 million) Bank Arta Prima scam.

City Police Detectives Chief Col. Gories Mere said yesterday that a team had been set up to trace the assets of the suspect, Made Oka Masagung, in the bad loans case.

"The team has questioned the suspect intensively and will start examining his bank account soon after the minister issues the permit," Gories said.

"So far, we don't have a clear picture about the precise amount in his bank account because, by law, it has been kept secret by the bank," said the officer.

Based on a preliminary investigation, eight people, including five former Bank Arta Prima directors, were arrested for their alleged roles in the scam.

The alleged fraud consisted of Rp 324 billion in commercial papers underwritten by Bank Arta Prima and Rp 700 billion in bad loans.

"Made is the only one who was (allegedly) involved in the bad loans case," said Gories.

Made was the bank's main shareholder and is now an advisor to PT Gunung Agung, a widely diversified business group which includes book publishing and a bookstore chain.

The other four suspected bankers are the bank's former president Chaidil Aini, director Husni Ali Thaqil and commissioners Hari Suhalim and Marcel Maulana.

The remaining three businessman are Kim Johanes Mulia, one of the owners of PT Jagata Primabumi which in July 1995 acquired Bank Arta Prima from PT Gunung Agung, a man identified only as Sug, and another man whose identity is still unclear.

Gories said the last two businessmen were arrested in late July but declined to disclose their identities.

The police have collected evidence and seized at least Rp 200 billion from bank accounts, including more than Rp 170 billion from Kim's.

Kim and Made have been prohibited from leaving the country since they were arrested in early May.

Gories said the dossiers of the eight suspects in the commercial papers case were handed over to the City Prosecutor's Office late last month.

He said that the suspects were involved in the issuance of the bank's underwritten commercial papers without approval from the central bank, Bank Indonesia. (cst)