Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said Thursday the investigation into the case started two weeks ago, but efforts to bring Bahasyim in for questioning remained unsuccessful.

“We are still trying to bring Bahasyim before investigators for questioning. Only his wife and children have complied with our summons thus far,” said Boy Rafli.

The Financial Transaction and Analysis Report Center (PPATK) detected suspicious bank deposits made in the names of Bahasyim’s wife and children early last year.

The PPATK submitted their findings to the National Police in February last year but the case was never followed up. The watchdog reminded the police late last year but met a cold response.

The police’s reluctance rendered speculations that Bahasyim’s dubious funds were being accepted by law enforcers to terminate the investigation, as in the high-profile tax brokering case involving tax official Gayus Tambunan.

Gayus’ Rp 28 billion worth of suspicious funds, also detected by the PPATK, was allegedly paid to police to halt probes.

Jakarta Police’s commitment to investigating the Bahasyim case followed pressure from the Presidential Judicial Anti-Corruption Taskforce.

Taskforce member and PPATK chairman Yunus Husein said the National Police could no longer avoid investigating the case as it was bigger than Gayus’, and it  was being closely monitored by the Taskforce.

The Bahasyim case is among the three money laundering “big fish”, allegedly involving active and former tax officials, as hinted by Yunus after reporting to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday.

Bahasyim, 57, left his job as head tax inspector for Jakarta area 7 in mid 2008 for a better career at the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).

Bahasyim, who was personally recruited by then  national development planning minister cum senior Golkar politician, Paskah Suzetta, was posted as an internal inspector to detect and prevent graft.
Bahasyim, amid the recent allegations, tendered his resignation late last month, according to National Development Planning Minister Armida Alisjahbana.

According to sources at the tax office, Bahasyim is among the disciples of notorious former tax chief Hadi Poernomo, who is now the Supreme Audit chairman. Hadi recently came under the spotlight
for claiming that 80 percent of  his Rp 38 billion fortune was derived from donations.

During Hadi’s term between 2001 and 2006, tax officials received between Rp 1.2 million and Rp 7 million in take-home pay. Bahasyim also ran a magazine boasting the tax office’s integrity.

He also made history as the first tax official to earn a doctorate degree. His dissertation, submitted
to the University of Indonesia in 2004, discusses strategies to maximize tax collection through stiff law enforcement.

Bahasyim’s whereabouts remain unclear. His secretary said he had not been in the office since early this month and he is unreachable by phone.  

The spokesman for the immigration office, Marroloan J. Barimbing, said a detection for Bahasyim’s whereabouts overseas was still underway.

“We are currently having trouble in our new system. So it’ll take some time to be able to clarify whether Bahasyim has indeed flown out of the country,” he said. (ril)

Popular

Hundreds of kitchens halt services due to 'pause' in free meals funds

Number of forcibly displaced people dips to 118 million: UN

Failed system, fake research