Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – As the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) begins its probe of Bank Century, an antigraft watchdog has warned that politicians could use the bailout case as leverage to get the KPK to drop politically sensitive cases.
Febri Diansyah, a legal researcher from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), said Sunday that he was concerned the Century investigation could be used by politicians as a bargaining chip to force the government to close graft cases implicating politicians.
"I think the political dynamics at the House of Representatives during the Century inquiry ended in an anticlimax. All legislators basically 'agreed to side' with the government," he said.
Although the majority of legislators voted against the conclusion supported by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, Febri said, the House inquiry committee's conclusion would not "harm" the government.
He said that he was suspicious the Century inquiry and the oppositions' animosity toward the bailout could have been "orchestrated" by politicians to prevent a public outcry.
ICW recorded at least eight legal cases, including graft, tax crimes, banking crimes, and human rights abuses, which could potentially be used as "political trade-offs".
The cases involved officials from opposition parties; the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), and two parties in the government coalition that sided with the opposition in the plenary meeting, the Golkar Party and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
One of the cases mentioned by ICW was the allegedly suspicious transactions in Bank Century involving the PDI-P's Emir Moeis. Moeis has denied the allegation, saying that he had not made any transactions with the bank since the bailout, despite the fact he had been a depositor since 2004.
Another case involved PKS legislator Mukhammad Misbakhun, who was accused of holding a fictitious letter of credit in Bank Century through one of his companies, PT Selalang Prima International. He has also has denied the allegation.
KPK acting chairman Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean, said that all legal processes at the commission were free of politics, including the Century case. "We are professionals. We work based on our own procedures and will not be influenced by politics," he said.
KPK deputy chairman M. Jasin, said Saturday the antigraft body had questioned 60 witnesses in connection to the disbursement of Bank Indonesia's liquidity assistance worth Rp 689 billion (US$74 million) and Rp 6.76 trillion bailout of the ailing Bank Century (now Bank Mutiara).
When asked if the KPK would also summon Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and former Bank Indonesia governor (now Vice President) Boediono, Jasin said all figures "considered necessary" would be summoned.
University of Indonesia political analyst Arbi Sanit, said trading legal cases as political bargains was still common practise. "Yudhoyono can pressure all opposing parties if he wants to. As the highest authority in the country, he can do anything," he said.