Mandiri workers protest prosecution
JAKARTA: More than 150 workers from state enterprises staged a demonstration Wednesday at the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to protest the naming of Bank Mandiri former executives as suspects in an alleged irregular loan to a paper mill.
The three executives have been accused of granting an irregular US$200 million loan in 2003 PT Kiani Kertas paper mill in East Kalimantan.
But the Legal Aid Institute for State Enterprises said the suspects could not be prosecuted because the decision to finance Kiani was made in compliance with the laws on state enterprises and limited companies.
The AGO last week named Bank Mandiri former president director ECW Neloe, former vice president director I Wayan Pugeg and former director for corporate banking Soleh Tasripan as suspects for alleged graft in approving the loan.
The workers said the case has raised unrest among executives and workers in state-owned enterprises.
In addition, they indicated the AGO was not totally professional in its war on corruption.
Chairman of the Federation of United Workers Unions in State Enterprises-Unite (FSP BUMN Bersatu), Arief Poyuono, accused the government of politicizing the case in its attempt to send the three to jail.
FSP BUMN Bersatu said in accusing the executives the government had failed to realize the impacts the case would have on bank staff, the real sector or the country's prolonged economic crisis.
"If AGO finds irregularities in the transaction, the bank's new management (should come under scrutiny)," said Arief.
The former executives' actions and their overall accountability was accepted by the bank's new management at a shareholder meeting in 2004, he said. -- JP
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