Aditya Suharmoko and Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati for six hours on Tuesday, her second questioning session on the contraversial Bank Century bailout, which she authorized in November 2008.
Mulyani said the KPK had not asked her any new questions during the session – a follow up to a previous grilling last Thursday – because she had provided all relevant documents to the commission, including video and audio files, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 11 last year.
"There was nothing new, but they wanted to make this interactive to verify and clarify statements, figures and other happenstances," Mulyani told a press conference after the session.
Mulyani said she had supplied the KPK with the same statements that she had given the House of Representatives' inquiry committee and the Supreme Audit Agency. "All can be compared objectively and comprehensively," she said.
Mulyani said the investigation should be concluded immediately to show to the public and the state that the bailout was responsible and accountable.
At the time of the bailout, Mulyani chaired the Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK), which approved a bailout of Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million) for the ailing Bank Century, arguing it was needed to protect the country from adverse impacts of the global crisis.
The House declared the bailout flawed and recommended legal action be taken against those responsible for it, in particular Mulyani and fellow KSSK member Boediono, then Bank Indonesia governor.
The House of Representatives' monitoring team has summoned Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officials for a hearing Wednesday to update the House on its investigation into the Bank Century bailout.
Deputy House speaker Priyo Budi Santoso said Tuesday he would preside over the hearing, which was slated to start at 10 a.m. "We want them to explain the latest developments in their investigation into state officials, such as Boediono [Vice President] and Sri Mulyani [finance minister]," Priyo added.
The House declared in a recent vote that Boediono and Mulyani were responsible for the controversial bailout of Bank Century worth Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million).
The bailout was authorized in November 2008 by Mulyani and Boediono, who was then Bank Indonesia governor.
The KPK questioned Boediono and Mulyani last week, but at their respective offices rather than at the KPK headquarters, which is the normal venue. Numerous antigraft activists have said this special treatment implied privilege and defied equality under the law.