http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/sby-faces-grilling-on-graft-allegations/story-e6frg6so-1225802565232
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono faces grilling on graft allegations a.. Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta correspondent b.. From: The Australian c.. November 24, 2009 12:00AM d.. A PARLIAMENTARY inquiry that could lead to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's impeachment looked almost certain yesterday as the damning results of an audit into the Bank Century bailout were presented to the house. "I don't think the investigation can now be held back," deputy speaker of the house, Priyo Budi Santoso, said as it emerged that elements of the 6.7 trillion rupiah ($786 million) bailout, which began last year and continued until the middle of this year, had contravened the central Bank Indonesia's own operating rules. Dr Yudhoyono is fighting allegations that part of the money disbursed to save the bank was redirected by some of its biggest depositors into funding his own re-election campaign this year. The allegations are complicated by the fact that his deputy, Boediono, was Bank Indonesia governor when the decision to bail out the ailing Bank Century was taken last October. A street demonstration in Jakarta yesterday called for Professor Boediono's sacking. Protesters have also set up camp outside the central Jakarta building of the Corruption Eradication Commission, where they are calling for a criminal investigation into the Bank Century affair and the sacking of Professor Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. The head of the Supreme Audit Agency told journalists after briefing the parliament that Bank Indonesia was "judged to have not managed (the bailout) according to its own rules". Hadi Poernomo said the central bank had not given a good enough explanation why the original bailout of 632 billion rupiah had increased to 6.7 trillion rupiah by the end of several tranches. There was fierce criticism at the time that the institution was not a big enough player to warrant such a move, with the money to save it coming from a central stability fund created within the banking sector and administered by Bank Indonesia. Other banks have been allowed to go under with no great impact on the financial system. Major Bank Century depositors, including the prominent businessman Boedi Sampoerna, a supporter of Dr Yudhoyono's re-election campaign, were able to withdraw their funds from the bank even as the bailout money was being injected, leading to the claims of a corrupt process. Dr Yudhoyono is now facing a graft-based rearguard action on several fronts, with the Bank Century affair playing more broadly into a pitched legal battle between the police and attorney-general's department on one hand, and the corruption eradication commission on the other. There were noisy public protests as Dr Yudhoyono prepared last night to give his much-awaited response to a separate inquiry into the criminal charges against two deputy commissioners on the corruption eradication body. At a gathering of senior editors in Jakarta, he said he was inclined to partly heed the advice of the so-called "Team of Eight" asked to investigate that matter, in having the matter removed from the criminal justice system. The two deputy commissioners, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra Hamzah, remain suspended over allegations they were bribed to drop an investigation. Related Coverage a.. Indonesia set to act on corruption Adelaide Now, 14 hours ago b.. Bank rescue taints SBY's re-election campaign The Australian, 3 days ago c.. Indonesia's gecko-gate The Australian, 4 days ago d.. Indonesia amid a perfect storm of corruption The Australian, 5 days ago e.. Why SBY had to say no The Australian, 5 days ago [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
