Yusril denies ordering freezing of Pati activist's account

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra has asserted that, in his capacity as Chairman of the Anti-Money Laundering Task Force, he never ordered the freezing or temporary suspension of transactions on an account belonging to Supriyono, Coordinator of the Pati United Community Alliance. He stated that the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) took no action in the matter. ‘I have coordinated with the Head of the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency and the Metro Jaya Regional Police Chief to obtain information on the progress of the case,’ Yusril said when contacted in Jakarta on Wednesday. He expressed hope that the issue could be resolved promptly in accordance with prevailing legal procedures.

Under the Anti-Money Laundering Law, he explained, the police have the authority to temporarily suspend account transactions if there is an alleged criminal offence. However, he continued, that authority is limited to a maximum of five days before a decision is made on whether to halt or continue the suspension in accordance with legal provisions.

Yusril stressed that the government will continue to carry out every process within the legal framework and respect the authority of each state institution. ‘The government will not do anything outside the authority granted by the law itself,’ he said.

Previously, the Metro Jaya Regional Police and Bank Mandiri had reactivated the account belonging to Supriyono, also known as Botok, which had earlier been subject to a transaction suspension. This was conveyed by the Director of General Criminal Investigation of the Metro Jaya Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Iman Imanuddin, and the President Director of PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk, Riduan, at a press conference held by House of Representatives Commission III at the DPR building in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Iman explained that the police had completed their examination of the account, which contained funds raised for the Pati community protest. ‘We have obtained legal facts from the relevant parties regarding the donations and the account in question. Accordingly, the suspension on the account can be lifted and the matter returned to Bank Mandiri’s authority,’ he said.

He said the account suspension was carried out to ensure that the donation funds collected came from sources that did not violate the law. The measure was taken to protect both donors and recipients of the donations.