Travel ban expires on bank scandal suspects

Travel ban expires on bank scandal suspects

JAKARTA (JP): The 14-day travel restriction slapped on key
suspects in the Bank Bali interbank debt scandal has expired,
with no requests made to the Attorney General's Office to extend
the ban.

"They are free to travel overseas," said Attorney General's
Office spokesman Soehandoyo, referring to former Bank Bali
directors Rudy Ramli, Firman Soetjahja, Rusli Suryadi, Henri
Kurniawan and PT Era Giat Prima (EGP) executives Djoko Sugiarto
Chandra and Setya Novanto.

The scandal erupted after the disclosure that Bank Bali paid
Setya Novanto a Rp 546 billion commission (almost US$80 million
at the current exchange rate) to help it recover loans totaling
Rp 904 billion from a closed bank. Later reports suggested that
the ruling Golkar Party benefited from the funds, with President
B.J. Habibie, his family members and several aides reportedly
implicated.

Soehandoyo said on Tuesday that the Directorate General of
Immigration of the Ministry of Justice issued the ban on Aug. 9
following a request from the National Police.

It was confirmed by Director General of Immigration M. Ghani,
who also said on Tuesday that his office would not renew the
restriction unless the Attorney General's Office made the
request.

"Please check with police why they have not asked for the
renewal of the travel ban," he said.

The police must make the request for a travel restriction to
the Attorney General's Office, with the immigration office to put
the ban into effect.

"We wrote to National Police Headquarters on Monday, asking if
they wanted to extend the travel ban, but there has been no reply
so far," Soehandoyo said.

He said the police must provide complete information on the
identities of those to be banned and relevant data.

Police have reportedly summoned and questioned six of the
seven suspects. Setya Novanto, who is a member of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) as well as a Golkar treasurer,
remains to be question.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar Sianipar said
police would not be able to question Setya Novanto until after
President B.J. Habibie issues permission for a legal procedure
against a MPR member. He said the police sent the required
documents to the Attorney General's Office, which would later
submit the whole file to Habibie for consideration.

"We need to question Setya Novanto but not until we get
permission from the President," Togar said as quoted from Antara.

Soehandoyo retorted separately: When was it sent? We have not
yet received it. But I'll check later."

The runaround on the President's permission was aggravated
when State Secretary/Minister of Justice Muladi said he was yet
to receive any letters from the police or Attorney General's
Office.

"I believe the President would surely grant permission should
there be such a request. But so far we have not received
anything," Muladi said at his office.

Commenting on intense speculation about how Habibie may have
benefit from the commission, Habibie's senior aide Dewi Fortuna
Anwar said the President was planning to clear his name and those
of his family members.

"He (Habibie) firmly stated that he has looked into his
account. Sometimes people transfer money without his
knowledge... (but) there is none," she said at a seminar.

Separately, Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung came to the
defense of Setya Novanto, saying the latter has shown his
goodwill to cooperate in the investigation by resigning from his
party post.

"It means that he can distinguish his position as a party
executive and as a businessman," Akbar said in Bali's provincial
capital Denpasar.

Many have speculated that the scandal is closely related to
Habibie's campaign for the November presidential election. Some
observers believe the ongoing controversy may damage Habibie's
chance at the presidency. (emf/prb)