Kalla claims not to have received Century report
Aditya Suharmoko, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 08/31/2009 5:08 PM
Vice President Jusuf Kalla has denied approving the bailout of ailing Bank Century in November last year, saying he never received a report from the Finance Ministry and the central bank on the case.
In a press conference Monday, Kalla said he first received a report from Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and then Bank Indonesia (BI) governor Boediono on Nov. 25, after the Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS) injected Rp 2.78 trillion into Century on Nov. 23.
"In the finance minister's statement, it seemed that I was told [about the bailout] on Nov. 22, so I knew about the bailout. But I did not. I received the finance minister's report on Nov. 25, after Century was bailed out," he said.
The vice presidents office was closed on Nov. 22, 2008, as he was in Cibinong, West Java.
"I sent a text message to Sri Mulyani this afternoon. I said, you were wrong, the report was not sent on Nov. 22, but on Nov. 25. I have checked with my secretary about the date and day, and my schedule," Kalla said.
He said Mulyani had yet to reply his text message.
