TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Batam civil servant with fat bank account goes missing

The whereabouts of a Batam civil servant whose bank account shows evidence of transactions that run into trillions of rupiah are unknown

Fadli (The Jakarta Post)
Batam
Sat, August 30, 2014

Share This Article

Change Size

Batam civil servant with fat bank account goes missing

T

he whereabouts of a Batam civil servant whose bank account shows evidence of transactions that run into trillions of rupiah are unknown.

Batam municipal chief spokesman Ardiwinata told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that his office no longer knew the location of NK, a fourth echelon employee who according to the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK), had a bank account in her name worth Rp 1.3 trillion (US$111 million).

The employee, known by her initials NK, works at the Batam City Investment Board in the One-door Integrated Service.

'€œI'€™ve checked with her department and superiors but her location has been unclear since the case came to light. We don'€™t know whether she'€™ll report for work. I'€™ll check the matter again. If I have information, I'€™ll call you,'€ said Ardiwinata.

He added that he had met NK several times and estimated she was below 30, but added that he did not know her well.

'€œI'€™ve met her before, but I don'€™t know her personally, especially as she works in another department,'€ said Ardiwinata.

Earlier, Ardiwinata said that since the PPATK had brought the case to light in the Batam municipal administration in April, it had not been followed up.

Given this, based on Government Regulation No. 54/2010 on civil servants, his office could not impose sanctions on the concerned party.

'€œThe police have yet to provide any information to us, so we cannot take any measures administratively,'€ said Ardiwinata.

The PPATK said the source of the financial transactions came from oil smuggling.

The flow of funds from the bank account is believed to have reached high-ranking law enforcement officials from the police and the Indonesian Military (TNI), which have responsibility for dealing with oil and smuggling issues in Batam.

Earlier on June 18, National Police'€™s Criminal Investigations Directorate (Bareskrim) special economic crimes director Brig. Gen. Kamil Razak said that in Batam, Riau Islands, the police had questioned NK.

He did not elaborate on who else would be questioned in connection with the case.

However, after more than two months, there are no signs that the case is developing.

Separately, Riau Islands Police chief spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Hartono said the suspicious bank account involving the civil servant was being handled by the National Police headquarters in Jakarta.

'€œThe case is being fully handled by the National Police headquarters. We don'€™t know about it,'€
said Hartono.

Based on information gathered by the Post, NK is the younger sister of an oil transporter with the initial A, who often smuggles oil to foreign tankers on the border, with the activity having taken place for a long period.

Meanwhile, anticorruption activist Novrizal Sadewa said he was indifferent about the disclosure of the flow of funds into the account of the civil servant if the National Police were still led by current chief Gen. Sutarman.

'€œWe have high hopes for the new government and hope a new police chief discloses the case. This depends on goodwill from president-elect Jokowi [Joko Widodo] as the next head of state. Right now, I'€™m indifferent as the case has stagnated. Just look at the perpetrator, who has gone with the wind,'€
said Novrizal.

The PPATK earlier announced that several civil servants and police officers had suspicious bank accounts.

Among them was chief Brig. Labora Sitorus, who was reported by the PPATK as having Rp 1.5 trillion.

The Sorong District Court of Papua sentenced the low-ranking officer to prison after being found guilty of illegal logging and fuel stockpiling.

The verdict was more lenient than that demanded by prosecutors of 15 years in jail.

In May 2014, the Papua High Court sentenced Labora to eight years in prison.

The PPATK once also reported tax officer Dhana Widyatmika for having Rp 28 billion and $250,000 deposited in 18 banks.

Dhana is a civil servant of the rank III-A with an average wage of Rp 7-10 million per month.

{

Your Opinion Counts

Your thoughts matter - share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.