Swindling, ABN style

Early in November 2000, ABN AMRO Bank (ABN) conducted massive promotion for non-collateral loans for a maximum amount of Rp 50 million for a maximum period of three years, and a maximum annual interest of 14 percent, on the condition that the applicant is an employee with a minimum employment term of one month, aged 21 to 55 years and earning a gross annual income of Rp 20 million.

It seemed that ABN was very serious with this scheme as it sent representatives to prospective clients.

Given the crisis the country is in, my colleagues and I -- employees of the Ministry of Finance -- did not want to miss this rare opportunity. We thanked God that a foreign bank, usually considered highly business-like, could show greater humanitarian aspect than national banks, which usually shun the little people.

The representative of the ABN Pondok Indah branch office came to visit us to take our applications. Some of my colleagues submitted their applications to the head office on Jl. H.Juanda, Central Jakarta. In all, there are about 50 of us who have applied for this credit.

"The process will take 10 working days," the ABN representative said convincingly. We were sure that our applications would be accepted because we had fulfilled all requirements, including the Rp 6,000 stamp duty.

We were imagining then that our Christmas, Idul Fitri and New Years would be happier and more festive thanks to the money from this "Santa Claus".

Christmas and Idul Fitri passed and so did the New Year, but there was no news about our applications. Then in mid-January and February 2001 we were told either by phone or by letter: "We cannot approve your application to the Bank because of some considerations."

It was quite strange that ABN could come to this decision because it had neither interviewed us nor carried out an investigation or even paid us a follow up visit.

It was natural if only some of our applications were approved, but not approving all applications without any clear reasons and without returning our applications forms is indeed inhumane. We are civil servants but are not as despicable as ABN thinks. Although we live in modesty, we have our self-respect and have a strong belief that God will protect His subjects.

ABN's arbitrary and irresponsible act must be clarified because our data could be used as a report to Bank Indonesia or other parties.

We are sure that ABN's actions do not manifest a new model of colonialism practiced by a Dutch institution over Indonesians. ABN does not need to try to explain to us what it deems right. It simply has to return our application dossiers, including the attachments which are original documents.

We need these dossiers because we do not want them to land in the wrong place.

Name and address known to the editor