Pura Barutama suspected of printing counterfeit money

Pura Barutama suspected of printing counterfeit money

JAKARTA (JP): Several legislators have expressed their
suspicions that PT Pura Barutama, a paper printing company in
Kudus, Central Java, was involved in a recent fake money case.

Permadi, a member of the House's joint team handling the
dispute between the central bank, state-owned PT Peruri and Pura
over a Rp 5000 and Rp 1000 banknote-printing project, said the
House would cooperate with the National Police to investigate
Pura's alleged involvement in the case.

"Frankly speaking, several legislators who are included in the
joint team are suspicious that Pura has collaborated with certain
officials in the State Intelligence Coordinating Board (Bakin),
National Police, Indonesian Military (TNI), Bank Indonesia (BI)
and Peruri in printing fake money in the past," he said after a
meeting between the joint team and Bank Indonesia deputy governor
Aulia Pohan here on Monday.

The counterfeiting case is still in progress in the Surabaya,
East Java, district court. A number of serving and retired
officials from the central bank and military were allegedly
involved.

Permadi, who along with the team's other members visited Pura
last week, said the legislators' suspicion was based on the fact
that the company was able to print money and has printed Somalian
money in the past.

"Besides, according to Presidential Decree No. 96, issued in
2000, Pura has been authorized to print money, and so far no
mechanism has been put in place for monitoring security printing
and other printing companies," he said.

Surya Darma Ali, another team member, concurred and said the
Presidential Decree contradicted Government Regulation No. 34
issued in 2000 which stipulated that Peruri had the exclusive
authority to print money.

"The illegal distribution of counterfeit money has not only
provoked social unrest but also raised the inflation rate and
affected the rupiah's conversion rate against the American
dollar, and it could have something to do with the recent
bombings," he said.

Evi Casino, spokeswoman for the Pura Group, denied the
suspicions, saying that her company had never been involved in
counterfeiting.

"Pura has never been involved with certain elements in the
bureaucracy, military and National Police in printing fake money.
Pura is open for investigation by the Police and the House," she
told The Jakarta Post by telephone here on Monday.

Aulia Pohan, who was also allegedly involved in the case,
denied the allegation, saying that no officials from the central
bank were involved.

"I'm ready to undergo a police investigation into the case and
I'll argue I'm not involved in it," he said.

Asked to comment on the US$7 million banknote project, Aulia
said the central bank would not interfere in the project because
it was a contract between Peruri and Pura.

"Peruri and Puri should solve the dispute bilaterally," he
said.

Peruri has ordered Pura to stop printing Rp 1000 and Rp 5000
banknotes because those printed thus far they did not meet the
required quality. Aulia said that so far Pura had printed 400
million Rp 1000 banknotes.

House deputy speaker A.M. Fatwa, also chairman of the joint
team, said the house would not interfere with the banknote
contract because it was a matter for the government.

However, he said BI, Peruri and Pura should not trade
accusations but meet around the table to seek a amicable solution
to the problem.

"The problem can be solved if Peruri seeks another banknote
supplier and compensates Pura which has suffered losses from the
project. All this is for the sake of the nation," he said. (rms)