Syahril's absence from IGWEL deplored

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