Ismira Lutfia & Camelia Pasandaran – Members of the House of Representatives special committee probing the Bank Century bailout claimed to be satisfied on Wednesday with the Supreme Audit Agency's explanation of its report and, although there was nothing substantially new, lawmakers now "had fresh perspectives" on the case.
"We are satisfied with the presentation and we really appreciate their work," said Machfud Siddiq, a committee member from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
He said the auditor's presentation indicated that there had been violations in the decision-making process for the Rp 6.7 trillion ($710 million) bailout.
However, the committee failed to get the agency to hand over a copy of the recording of a late night meeting between the Ministry of Finance and the Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK) to discuss the ailing Bank Century's fate just before the bailout.
Andi Rahmat from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said the recording was needed to determine the role of each individual and institution involved.
Andi said some data were not yet finalized because of a failure to acquire the supporting audit-related documents. "We need them to construct and find the whole [bailout] structure systematically," Andi said.
Hasan Bisri, a member of the auditor, also known as the BPK, told lawmakers it had concluded that the KSSK had inaccurate and incomplete data from the central bank concerning Bank Century's condition.
"BPK cannot determine who is wrong or right.... We are not investigators but auditors," BPK chairman Hadi Purnomo said.
"I think the public also has the same perception and, no matter how it is debated and twisted around, it would eventually lead to the same thing," Andi said, adding that his own "very preliminary suspicion" was that there was a mutually beneficial connection between those involved in the bailout process and the bank's major clients. He said that Vice President Boediono had played a "vital role."
Committee deputy chairman Gayus Lumbun of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said that Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati would be summoned after Boediono was questioned on Monday.
Vice presidential spokesman Yopie Hidayat said that by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Boediono had not received a summons to appear before the committee. "As Pak Boediono has said before, he is willing to meet the House special committee to make all things clear."
However, he reminded lawmakers that Boediono was "a state symbol." There should be consideration of political and state etiquette," he said when asked to elaborate.
Committee member Bambang Susatyo of Golkar said the committee had no intention of watering down its questioning.
"Special treatment doesn't mean that we lose the right to ask. The House, as stipulated in the constitution, has the right to ask for and get an explanation," Bambang said. "Our investigation today revealed that there was possible corruption."