Rumor of bribery mars deliberation of anti-money laundering bill

Speculation has been rife that House of Representatives lawmakers deliberating the anti-money laundering bill have received Rp 5 billion (US$555,000) in bribe to scrap an article that will allow the Corruption Eradication Commission to investigate into money laundering cases.

Bambang Soesatyo, a member of the House’s law commission from the Golkar Party, dismissed the rumor on Friday and accused those who were against the KPK’s role in the fight against money laundering of spreading the gossip.

“The act of circulating the rotten gossip must be stopped. Don’t do that only because we, Golkar, PDI-P, PPP and Hanura, reject their bid,” Bambang said as quoted by kompas.com.

Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the United Development Party and the People’s Conscience (Hanura) Party insist that the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) should submit reports of suspicious transactions to the police, prosecutors, the National Narcotics  Agency and KPK to help them investigate money laundering cases.