Jakarta – The House of Representatives has been urged to review a number of laws relating to Bank Indonesia and other banking issues following allegations that funds had been transferred from the central bank to legislators.
"The laws need to be reviewed as there are indications funds had been used for 'political buying' practices," Adnan Topan Husodo of the Indonesian Corruption Watch said during a discussion on fund disbursements Saturday.
"For example, the deliberation process for the bills was faster compared to that of other bills." However, he did not provide further details.
Adnan filed a report with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Aug. 2 claiming Bank Indonesia officials had channeled some Rp 4.5 billion (US$483,000) for the dissemination of bills on bank liquidation, bankruptcy, the supervisory institution, banking, Bank Indonesia and the Bank Indonesia budget.
The bills were deliberated by House members from Commission IX overseeing finance affairs in the 1999-2004 period.
The KPK later revealed it had received a letter from BPK head Anwar Nasution on Nov. 14, 2006, claiming the illegal fund disbursement amounted to Rp 100 billion of which Rp 31.5 billion was used for the deliberation of bills.
But it was not until November this year that the KPK questioned 19 Bank Indonesia officials, including senior deputy governor Miranda Goeltom and deputy governor Bun Bunan Harahap.
Another speaker, BPK auditor Surahmin, said the central bank had at least one crucial point to be included in the bill on Bank Indonesia.
"During the deliberation, the central bank wanted to have sole authority to set the remunerations for its board of governors," he said.
"As if Bank Indonesia is a separate state because it wants to set its own budget." However, legislator Gayus Lumbuun said in the discussion it would be too hard to review all laws.
"Reviewing all laws would be too difficult while we are still going through the investigation process."
Gayus, deputy chairman of the House Honorary Council, said the council had the names of 16 former and active lawmakers who had allegedly received the funds.
The names, however, were being withheld during the council's investigation.
Adnan said the so-called political buying practice could only be proved once the legislators names were revealed.
"We also need to know where the funds went and prove that such payments are illegal."
Gayus, however, said such a practice was common, calling it "official lobbying".
"The purpose of lobbying is, of course, to steer the deliberation process toward a specific interest," he said.
"In other countries there are also laws regulating formal lobbying," he added, without citing any examples. (uwi)