Letter to the Editor: Clarification from Citibank

I refer to your article headlined “Family seeks damages from Citibank” on page 9 of Wednesday’s edition of The Jakarta Post.

Your story quoted me as saying that “Citibank had made a friendly gesture to Irzen Octa’s family by offering to cut his debt by a large percentage”. This is incorrect.

Citibank actually offered Octa himself several packages to help him repay his debts to the bank since June 2008, when his record of delinquency began.

We made calls, but many times were unable to reach him. Hence, our debt recovery agents visited him several times.

It was then that we offered to help him repay his debts by reducing his principal by 40 percent. We also offered five other repayment packages, but he did not accept any of these.

The 40 percent discount offer was therefore made directly to Octa and not to his family after their bereavement.

          
Ditta Amahorseya                                            
Director, Country Corporate Affairs Head
Citi Indonesia
Jakarta