ID :
94818
Mon, 12/14/2009 - 00:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/94818
The shortlink copeid
FINANCE MINISTER DENIES HAVING TALKS WITH ROBERT TANTULAR
Jakarta, Dec 13 (ANTARA) - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati denied on Sunday that she had met with the owner of troubled Bank Century, Robert Tantular.
"I have never communicated (with him) in any way. I have never phoned (him). Neither have I received a phone call (from him). I don't get acquainted (with him). I have never met with someone named Robert Tantular," she told the press at the Finance Ministry building here.
She was responding to a statement by Bambang Soesatyo, a member of the House Inquiry Committee on the Century Bank case, who claimed he had a recording of a conversation between her and Tantular regarding a bailout for the bank.
She said she felt it necessary to deny the allegation in what she described as a slander.
The statement by the committee member from the Golkar Party needed to be corrected because it could mislead the public, she said.
"What he has said is a shameful slander to divert our attention," she said.
She said the public wanted the investigation into the Bank Century case to run objectively, fairly, transparently and credibly.
"Of course, we expect it will not be marred by dirty and systematic political motive. I myself feel there has been character assassination against public officials. God willing, (the committee) will try their best to perform their duties," she said.
Bank Century almost collapsed some time ago when its financial assets were taken overseas by Tantular, the bank's major shareholder. To help the ailing bank, the government injected Rp6.7 trillion in bailout funds to the bank without the approval of the House of Representatives (DPR).
Legislators believed the government's decision to bail out the bank last year was a mistake and had the potential to inflict a huge loss on the state.
After all, the State Audit Board (BPK) in its investigative report said there was an indication of irregularities in the Bank Century case.
The DPR agreed early this month to set up a 30-member special committee to probe the case.
DPR Speaker Marzuki Alie said on Saturday Bambang Soesatyo's statement was a personal one outside the agenda of the House Inquiry Committee on the Century Bank case.***2***
(S012/A/H-NG/A/S012)
"I have never communicated (with him) in any way. I have never phoned (him). Neither have I received a phone call (from him). I don't get acquainted (with him). I have never met with someone named Robert Tantular," she told the press at the Finance Ministry building here.
She was responding to a statement by Bambang Soesatyo, a member of the House Inquiry Committee on the Century Bank case, who claimed he had a recording of a conversation between her and Tantular regarding a bailout for the bank.
She said she felt it necessary to deny the allegation in what she described as a slander.
The statement by the committee member from the Golkar Party needed to be corrected because it could mislead the public, she said.
"What he has said is a shameful slander to divert our attention," she said.
She said the public wanted the investigation into the Bank Century case to run objectively, fairly, transparently and credibly.
"Of course, we expect it will not be marred by dirty and systematic political motive. I myself feel there has been character assassination against public officials. God willing, (the committee) will try their best to perform their duties," she said.
Bank Century almost collapsed some time ago when its financial assets were taken overseas by Tantular, the bank's major shareholder. To help the ailing bank, the government injected Rp6.7 trillion in bailout funds to the bank without the approval of the House of Representatives (DPR).
Legislators believed the government's decision to bail out the bank last year was a mistake and had the potential to inflict a huge loss on the state.
After all, the State Audit Board (BPK) in its investigative report said there was an indication of irregularities in the Bank Century case.
The DPR agreed early this month to set up a 30-member special committee to probe the case.
DPR Speaker Marzuki Alie said on Saturday Bambang Soesatyo's statement was a personal one outside the agenda of the House Inquiry Committee on the Century Bank case.***2***
(S012/A/H-NG/A/S012)
