New PPATK chief vows to get tough on violators

President Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono urged on Tuesday that the new anti-money laundering chief remain strong amid pressures unleashed by recalcitrant public officials and politicians.

Yudhoyono inaugurated senior prosecutor Muhammad Yusuf as the new chairman of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), replacing Yunus Hussein who is undergoing a selection process for the role of deputy for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

The President also installed central bank senior official Agus Santoso as the new deputy chairman. Both Yusuf and Agus will lead the agency until 2016.

“The PPATK should maintain its independence and fight any intervention or interference from outside,” said Yudhoyono during the inauguration ceremony at the Presidential Palace.

The PPATK was formed in 2002 after Indonesia was listed by the international community as a save-haven for money launderers.

As the agency’s first chairman, Yunus has cemented the agency’s reputation as upholding a high-degree of integrity and independence amid pressure from politicians, officials and businessmen who require that their transactions of graft money be concealed.

“Pak Yunus has laid out the very basic foundation for the agency that we all highly respect. We have all the resources to continue his legacy,” said Yusuf, who previously served as the agency’s law and regulation director.

Yusuf, who came from the same village as Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, was named Indonesia’s best prosecutor in 2003, dealing with cases such as the prosecution of former dictator Soeharto, among others.

With his new responsibility, Yusuf vowed “to eliminate comfortable destinations for corruptors to save their money.”

“It’s not a matter of courage, I don’t care about [‘special’] requests if the person is wrong,” said Yusuf.

He said that PPATK’s ongoing financial report analysis, which included a focus on the police’s suspicious bank accounts, suspicious transactions within political parties and embezzlement cases involving Bank Mega with oil and gas firm Elnusa and Batubara regency of North Sumatra, would proceed.

PPATK’s authority is limited to analyzing financial reports, while investigation duties are in the hands of the National Police, the Attorney General Office, the KPK, and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).

Agus Santoso said his 20-year career at Bank Indonesia (BI) would be of great use in analyzing financial transactions, as 80 percent of money was in the banking sector.

“Our personal ties with banks could also push them to collaborate with the PPATK, as suspicious transactions mostly happen in the banking sector,” said Agus.

“The banking industry has an interest in supporting the PPATK’s success so that the former will not become a facilitator of corruption and money laundering practices.”

Muhammad Yusuf

Place/date of birth: Pendopo, South Sumatra/ May 18, 1962

Previous position:
• PPATK’s director of law and regulation (2008-2011)
• Jakarta prosecutor office’s deputy head for special crime (2007-2008)
• South Jakarta prosecutor office’s head of special crime (2007)
• Bogor prosecutor office’s head of special crime (2005-2006)

Education:
• Bachelor’s degree, Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia (1982-1987)
• Master’s degree, School of Economic and Management Jakarta (1998-2000)
• Doctoral candidate, Faculty of Law, University of Padjadjaran, Bandung