Syahril's absence from IGWEL deplored

The lawyers of Bank Indonesia Governor Syahril Sabirin have criticized the Attorney General's Office for rejecting their client's request for a special permit to attend the Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders (IGWEL) in New York recently.

The lawyers said the office did not respond to the request until after the international event had concluded on Monday.

"The fact that the office failed to inform the BI governor about its response means that it banned our client from attending the forum. This reveals that the Attorney General's Office lacks a sense of crisis, transparency and accountability," the lawyers, Mohammad Assegaf, Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara and Sulistio, said in a joint statement released on Tuesday.

They said Syahril's absence would tarnish Indonesia's image with the international community.

BI's senior deputy governor Anwar Nasution, and deputy governors Miranda S. Goeltom and Aulia Pohan had assured the Attorney General's Office that Syahril would not flee.

The office has slapped a one-year travel ban on Syahril, who is standing trial for his alleged involvement in disbursement of Rp 904 billion (US$100 million) in Bank Indonesia liquidity support funds (BLBI) to Bank Bali in 1999.

Indonesia sent Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti to the international meeting, which discussed the world economic situation in the wake of the Sept. 11 2001 attacks on the U.S.

The World Economic Forum, which hosted the event, also invited President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Minister of Finance Boediono and Minister of Industry and Trade Rini Soewandi. --JP