GOVT REJECTS DPR'S CALL ON BANK CENTURY CASE

Jakarta, March 22 (ANTARA) - The government has rejected the call of the House of Representatives to suspend state officials allegedly involved in the Century Bank bailout.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Djoko Suyanto announced the decision at a press conference after a limited cabinet meeting led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday to discuss the government's response to the DPR's letter regarding its inquiry committee's conclusions and recommendations on the case.

He said the meeting formulated the government's official response to the five recommendations and the one appeal the DPR had submitted in connection with the Century Bank case.

The DPR's appeal was that the government should suspend state officials suspected of involvement in the case, Djoko said.

"In the government's view suspension of state officials allegedly involved in the case must be done in line with standing procedures and mechanism regulated by the law and based on the principle of presumption of innocence," he said.

He said the government opined that in line with the rules and laws a state official could only be suspended after he or she is named a defendant and can be fired only after a court ruling is issued declaring him/her guilty.

Regarding the DPR's recommendations that those committing corruption, violating the laws and banking regulations in the case be referred to the law enforcement agency, Djoko said indications of crimes would certainly be dealt with and processed by law enforcement agencies proportionately based upon their authorities regulated in the law.

"The President today submitted copies of the DPR's decision to the national police chief and the attorney general. He had also assigned the national police chief and the attorney general to see if there were indications of violations of laws, corruption and violations of banking laws in the case," he said.

Djoko said the President had appointed him to communicate with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for coordination with regard to dealing with the Century Bank case.

Regarding the recommendation for the DPR to immediately with the government revise various laws relating to fiscal and monetary sector management, he said the government welcomed it very well.

On the DPR's recommendation for the recovering of the assets of the Century Bank or Bank CIC owners that had caused a state loss by December 2012 at the latest Djoko the government had already taken efforts to recover them at home and abroad through a legal process in line with the law and regulations.

He said the attorney general has also set up an inter-deparmental team to block the accounts of Robert Tantular and also Rafat Ali Rivzi and Hesham Al Warraq not still at large, in 12 countries.

On the DPR's recommendation on the formation of a DPR supervisory team to monitor the tracking of the flows of their funds and the recovering of their assets he said the government would fully refer it to the DPR.

About the recomendation that the government and Bank Indonesia (the central bank) immediately settle the problems of PT Antaboga Delta Securities customers Djoko said that the government had offered two options.

The first option is returning their money using state funds with an approval of the DPR while the second one is paying them only after the assets of the Century Bank owners now already blocked in 12 countries waiting for a court decision to claim totalling around Rp3 trillion are recovered, he said.

Djoko said with the response the government wish to show respect and appreciation to the decision of the House inquiry committee. He denied that the government had been too slow in responding the DPR letter already recieved by the President on March 9, 2010.

He said the President immediately gave a disposition to the minister/state secretary after receiving the letter. But because the President and some ministers concerned were in Australia until March 12, 2010 the ministers that had been named to give their response to the letter had only been able to conduct discussion on it a week later.

The ministers that had been named to respond the DPR letter are minister Djoko Suyanto, coordinating minister for the economy Hatta Radjasa, minister of justice and human rights Patrialis Akbar and minister/state secretary Sudi Silalahi, national police chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri, attorney general Hendarman Supanji, cabinet secretary Dipo Alam and acting chief of the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP).

President Yudhoyono before the meeting said he himself would give an explanation to the public regarding the government's response to the DPR letter. He however did not say when he would do it.