Alleged NII figure was Bank Century customer: Tantular

Former Bank Century (now Bank Mutiara) owner and graft convict Robert Tantular says Panji Gumilang, an alleged leader of the Islamic State of Indonesia (NII) movement, used to be one of his premium customers.

“I used to knew him as Abu Ma’arik, not Panji Gumilang. He was an old Bank Century customer,” Tantular said in an interview with TVOne aired Thursday morning.

However, Tantular later denied allegations that Gumilang had kept an account containing Rp 250 billion and 20 tons of gold bars at the bank.

“All of those statements regarding his possession of gold and Rp 250 billion are flat lies,” Tantular said without elaborating.

Tantular’s statement, however, confirms earlier allegations that Gumilang, a controversial figure suspected to have once been the leader of the outlawed NII movement, had been a loyal customer of Bank Century for a long time.

Earlier, Bank Century was embroiled in controversy and public criticism surrounding a government decision to bail out the ailing bank at the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008. The bank, some observers said, had acted as a “cashier” for the ruling political party, providing funds for its 2009 election campaign.