The House’s inquiry committee for the Bank Century bailout appears to have reached a conclusion, with Yudhoyono’s ruling coalition parties intensifying talks and moving closer to a “mutual agreement”.

Several politicians confirmed reports that representatives of coalition-member parties had held meetings since last week, regarding a deal for the inquiry hearings and draft recommendations — due to be read at a House of Representatives plenary session on March 2.

“The actual result of the inquiry will soon be determined. It’s almost done,” one of the lawmakers said.

Muhammad Thoha, an inquiry committee member from the National Awakening Party (PKB), said his party had sent representatives to a coalition meeting last Friday.
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“Another meeting is scheduled for Monday,” Thoha said, refusing to reveal where it would be held.

The meetings among coalition member parties were contrary to attempts by minor opposition parties, such as the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), which insist on implicating the President, Vice President Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati in the Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million) bailout.

“But the inquiry must end with guilty persons. And those will be officials at lower levels than the minister,” one committee member said.

The scenario must also frame every hearing with live debates and discussions, revealing all the facts one by one, “to show the public that the inquiry is still on track, without any intervention”.

Fahri Hamzah of the Prosperous and Justice Party (PKS) said his party would be consistent in its investigations into the bailout, “but will change our direction if President Yudhoyono tells us to do so”.

There is a possibility that the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) may insist the Century case result in the dismissal of Boediono and Mulyani, even if it requires an out-of-parliament settlement.

A source close to National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Hatta Rajasa said a certain party would pressure Yudhoyono to dismiss Boediono regardless of the inquiry team’s recommendations.

The Golkar Party is the largest party in Yudhoyono’s coalition, joining the smaller Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP), PAN, PKS and PKB.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairman Chandra M. Hamzah told the inquiry committee that the KPK had not found any evidence of corruption.

“The Supreme Audit Agency [BPK] report on the Bank Century merger only says Bank Indonesia [BI] failed to be prudent in its supervision of the process. [But] this was a violation of the banking law,” he said.

The KPK could only continue its investigations if it found evidence that state officials had received bribes during the merger, he added.

However, Chandra also said the KPK had not reached a firm stance on the case, and that its investigators were compiling data to see if there were any indications of corruption.

Correction

Sat, 02/06/2010 1:01 PM  |  Headlines

Due to technical reasons, the last paragraph of the story "Century committee closer to *mutual deal'" published on this page on Friday was not printed fully. The following is the correct version:

"The committee also heard a recording of a BI meeting on Nov. 13 , 2008 - the same date BI decided to alter its own regulations to make Bank Century eligible to receive short-term liquidity support *FPJP*."

We apologize for the mistake.

- Editor