Aditya Suharmoko and Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati expects allegations that she conspired with Robert Tantular, which have now proven untrue, would not distract the public's attention from the ongoing probe into Century.

"I hope this allegation, made by lawmaker Bambang Soesatyo, a member of the Golkar Party, will not distract us," Mulyani said Sunday.

"We want the investigation into Century to be objective, transparent, credible and untarnished by dirty political motives. I think this [allegation] has led to character assassination.

"I hope the people who are hoping to see the truth [concerning the Century investigation] can be fulfilled."

Bambang last Friday said, based on the tapes received by the parliament's inquiry committee, Mulyani had a conversation with Robert, a former Century owner, to decide Century's bailout during the Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK) meeting on Nov. 21.

Mulyani on Sunday showed video records that the person Bambang thought was Robert was actually Marsilam Simanjuntak, head of the Presidential Working Unit for Reform Program Management (UKP3R).

Marsilam said he was there because the KSSK had invited him.

The video shows that Mulyani said: "Right, now we hold a closed-door meeting... On Robert..."

Then Marsilam responded: "I think you held a closed-door meeting, with a note that the conclusion... especially the article is the crisis that we are facing now... "

Mulyani said she mentioned Robert's name in response to Agus Martowardojo, president director of Bank Mandiri, Indonesia's largest bank by assets, who talked about depositors who placed large deposits of above Rp 2 billion (US$211,640) and might have a "special deal" with Robert.

Raden Pardede, secretary of the now-defunct KSSK, said Robert was not present at the meeting.

"Robert was on the second floor [of the Finance Ministry] while the KSSK meeting room was on the third floor." The video shows that on the left side of Mulyani sat lawyer Ari Surowijoyo, Marsilam, Finance Ministry secretary general Mulia P. Nasution, Raden.

On the right side of Mulyani sat central bank officials: Boediono, Miranda S. Goeltom, Siti Chalimah Fadjrijah.

Mulyani said she is considering a lawsuit against Bambang.

Wimar Witoelar, who moderated the press conference, said Mulyani had been treated unfairly. "This noise is made by anarchic political groups. The media are being used as their tools."

Lawmakers question why the Century's bailout reached Rp 6.76 trillion.

They suspected there were other motives to save Century (now renamed Bank Mutiara), which is a small bank, although Mulyani and the central bank said the bailout was done to protect the financial sector from systemic threat amid the global financial crisis.

Bambang Soesatyo said he wanted to move on from the controversy surrounding his allegations.

"Let's end the debates right now. I don't want the House's committee works to deviate from its original agenda to reveal the truth behind the case," he said.

"The committee never aimed to accuse anyone using the recording, it just wanted to clarify whether the dialogue did take place."

Bambang is a member of a House Inquiry team into the Century bailout.