Sutanto urges media not to exaggerate money laundering case

Sutanto urges media not to exaggerate money laundering case

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

National Police chief Gen. Sutanto has appealed to the mass media
not to exaggerate reports of the alleged money laundering case in
which 15 police officers have been implicated.

He said there was no need to continue with intensive coverage
of the crime as the police were committed to investigating and
resolving it.

"Please don't ask questions (on the alleged money laundering
crime) again. You (reporters) could question me over this if the
case was stagnant. But the fact is that we are now investigating
it," Sutanto told reporters.

"I am requesting your help. Please, don't try to lead this
case into something unreal (speculation), nor exaggerate
reports. And please don't accuse us of not doing anything here,"
he added.

The Financial Transactions and Report Analysis Center (PPATK)
submitted a report to the National Police in August on money
laundering activities allegedly committed by 15 serving police
officers, including some generals.

Sutanto said resolving the money laundering case was crucial
to showing the international community that Indonesia was serious
in supporting the global fight against money laundering.

The PPATK said that suspicious transactions had occurred in
the bank accounts of the officers and that the amount of money
involved was "huge", much higher than the salaries of even police
generals.

Neither the police nor the PPATK, Indonesia's anti-money
laundering watchdog, have disclosed the names of the officers.

At present, the National Police's internal affairs division is
investigating the report.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK) Taufiqurrahman Ruki said the agency was now in the process
of tracking down the source of the funds in the bank accounts of
the 15 police officers.

The agency, however, is only willing to track down and
investigate accounts belonging to high- and middle-ranking
officers, while those owned by low-ranking officers will be
handled by National Police Headquarters.

"The investigation into the case is underway. If there is an
indication that the funds are derived from corruption, the KPK
will further investigate the case," said Taufiqurrahman.

Taufiqurrahman said that he would not try to cover up the case
or to keep it out of court, although he is a former police
officer and would likely face his former juniors in the police
force.

"The public can be suspicious of me handling the case since I
am a former police officer. But that is okay. I will try to prove
that I am independent, and that the KPK has the courage to handle
the case," he said.

Analysts have requested that the government transfer the
investigation of the money laundering case to the KPK in order to
effectively track down the source of the money and to be more
independent in handling the case.