Savings chain scheme still under investigation
Savings chain scheme still under investigation
JAKARTA (JP): Despite growing concern from the public, police have yet to take action against the operation of the controversial Danasonic arisan savings chain scheme.
"We hope that the public can be a little bit patient because we're still studying the case in depth," National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro told reporters yesterday.
He said police are still studying whether the operators of the scheme can be charged with fraud, embezzlement, operating an illegal bank or with forgery.
The police still need more time to collect more information before making a final decision, he said.
Arisan is actually a periodic gathering to draw lots for an aggregate sum of money contributed by the members.
Unlike the traditional arisan system, the Danasonic arisan chain savings scheme, run by Jakarta-based PT Saptamitra Ekakarya, requires new members to pay Rp 11,000 (US$4.95) to the organizer and Rp 10,000 each to two other participants listed on a coupon.
In return, he or she can receive up to Rp 10 million if they can actively sell coupons to other newcomers who become active.
With its headquarters on Jl. Raya Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta, PT Saptamitra Ekakarya, which began operating three years ago, is run by an elderly couple, Sindi Husain and his wife Anneke Kolondam, respectively commissioner and president of the firm.
So far, executives of the firm claimed that the number of its members has reached around 500,000 people nationwide, while police estimate the number to be about 10 million.
The participants of the arisan are of varied education and skill backgrounds, including university students, bankers, farmers and journalists.
When asked to comment on the ongoing police investigation into the scheme, Sindi Husain said: "We're ready at anytime to be questioned and will be pleased if the police can decide as soon as possible what specific rules we have violated."
"If we're in the wrong, police can arrest us at anytime at our office here and seize all material evidence available," Sindi challenged.
City Police spokesman Lt. Col. Bambang Haryoko said yesterday that the city office for trade affairs might soon withdraw the trading license of the company.
Although the police have not received any complaints from participants of the scheme, they claim there is strong indication that executives of the scheme only wanted to cheat people through such an attractive, promising game.
Based on their findings, city police then decided to investigate the arisan savings chain scheme three months ago in an effort to learn of any losses suffered by people taking part in the arisan. They also froze the funds sent by new members of the scheme to PT Saptamitra Ekakarya at several banks and post offices.(bsr)