Indonesian Central Bank Pays for DPR Trip to London
Wednesday, 02 April, 2008 | 17:24 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: In the midst of the Commission to Eradicate Corruption (KPK) working on bribery allegations at the Indonesian Central Bank (BI) some of the documents received by Tempo point to similar cases in 2006-2007. One of them is the fund distribution from the central bank to some of legislative bodies at the House of Representative (DPR).

Some of memorandums and distributed documents mentioned about BI's invitation to four members of legislative bodies in the DPR to visit London and New York regarding the ending of the drafting of the Currency Bill. The visit was for ten days, from 3-12 March 2007.

BI paid the travel costs and also extended travel money to them, Rp1 million and US$ 13,960 (almost Rp 130 million).

The budget for this trip was approved by the Deputy Governor, Budi Rochadi, requested by the Director for Strategic Planning and Public Relations Budi Mulya through a letter dated 19 February 2007.

According to those documents, the four members went to England and the USA are Bomer Pasaribu, Ali Masykur Musa, Andi Rahmat, and Ganjar Prastowo.

Three of them deny the accusation except for Ganjar who cannot be identified at the DPR.

“It's not true. Defamation is crueler than a murder,” said Andi Rahmat, a member of Finance and Banking Commission.

“I don't know. They can mention any name,” he said, who is a member of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

Bomer Pasaribu, who was head of the legislative body at that time, repeatedly said that he not aware of travel abroad or funding from BI. “I don't know,” said this member of the functional group (Golkar).

Ali Masykur from the national awakening faction said he never knew about that document. “We will see who issues that document and what the purpose is.”

Officials of Bank Indonesia mentioned that they cannot be asked for comments. Budi Rochadi and Budi Mulya did not answer the phone.

Head of Strategic Planning and Public Relations, Bureau of BI, Filianingsih Hendarta, whose name was also mentioned in the document, refused to comment. “Please ask Ms Dyah (Director of Strategic Planning and Public Relations of BI),” he said.

Dyah Makhijani, then said that she just knew about it. “I cannot confirm for now because I have not seen the data. I just started my position as a public relations director today.”

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