Minister denies conspiracy in Century case, mulls lawsuit

The Finance Ministry dismissed Friday allegations from lawmaker Bambang Soesatyo that Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati had conspired with Robert Tantular, former owner of Bank Century, to bail out the bank.

Mulyani also considers a legal action against the Golkar Party lawmaker, who joins the House’s committee of inquiry into the case.
 
"Bambang Soesatyo said the House of Representatives' inquiry committee on Century has secured recorded evidence between Sri Mulyani and Tantular related to the closed meeting of the Finance System Stability Committee (KSSK). It's inaccurate and misleading.

“It is defamation against the finance minister. She considers legal moves," ministry spokesman Harry Z. Soeratin told a press conference.
 
He said Tantular was not present in the last part of the KSSK meeting, and Mulyani did not talk with him on the phone as Bambang had claimed.

"So what's thought as Tantular's voice is another meeting participant's. Besides, material findings in an investigation should not be made public prior to the legal process."
 
Indra Surya, the ministry's head of legal aid bureau, said the ministry had submitted the recording of the KSSK meeting only to the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK). "We haven't given the recording to the House's inquiry committee."