Inquiry team members criticize tax check for Bumi, legislators

Members of House inquiry team for the Bank Century case have criticize the government’s plan to verify tax payment from coal mining firm PT Bumi Resources and committee members.

Inquiry team member Andi Rachmat on Monday said he had been informed of the plan.

“I heard that the Finance Ministry was gearing up to grill PT Bumi Resources over its alleged troubles with tax payments. I heard they also want to check [Bank Century inquiry team members’] tax payments,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Bumi Resources is a giant company, part owned by Aburizal Bakrie, the chairman of the Golkar Party. Golkar Party cadre Idrus Marham has been chosen as the leader of the Century inquiry, now investigating the Rp 6.76 trillion (US$710.2 million) bailout scandal.

Rumors have been circulating that politicians, mostly from opposition parties, are now directing criticisms at Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and former Bank Indonesia governor Boediono (the current Vice President).

Andi said the tax verification plan was part of Mulyani’s efforts to bite back at the inquiry team.

“This can be categorized as an abuse of power. She is using her authority as Finance Minister to satisfy her own objectives,” he said.

Andi said he was not afraid because his taxes had not been paid properly. “We aren’t concerned about the tax verification. We are protesting the way she is doing it,” he said.

Another inquiry team member, Bambang Soesatyo, suggested that both Mulyani and Boediono should be temporarily suspended until the investigations had finished. “So they won't abuse their power or use their authority to modify evidence,” he said.