President Denies Relative Benefitted from Bank Century Bailout

Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono denied rumors that some of the funds to bail out Bank Century had gone to a member of his family and expressed his commitment to laws to settle any cases linked to the bank. "We have agreed in case of any violation of the law or losses suffered by the state (in connection with the bank bailout) the law must be enforced. We support a judicial settlement," he said at a meeting with journalists at the state palace here on Monday evening. He said based on reports he had received so far and from the results of an audit by the State Audit Board (BPK) no laws had been broken in connection with the bailout so far. "What I know is the police have worked, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Attorney General's Office and the BPK have all worked. I followed it. From reports that I have received no irregularities have been found with regard to capital placement worth Rp6.7 trillion in the former Bank Century that could be categorized as violating the laws. BPK actually also had not revealed any loss suffered by the state in connection with that. I am supporting the legal process to find the truth. The decision is in the hands of the law enforcement agencies, the KPK, and I am sure it can be settled," he said. (*)