Rp5.3 Trillion Losses Due to Banking Crimes
Friday, 02 February, 2007 | 13:37 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Last year the banking crime rate was still high as based on a report received by Bank Indonesia (BI), there were 163 cases throughout 2006.

As many as 135 cases have been investigated, and 19 of these have been submitted to investigators.

The central bank's data states the total of losses due to banking crime for the last four years reached Rp5.3 trillion and US$129 million.

In 2006, losses due to violations of banking provisions totaled Rp1.2 trillion and US$52 million.

These amounts are not that much different from those in 2003, Rp1.5 trillion and US$77 million respectively.

The most frequent crimes are credit transfers, totaling 30 percent of all cases.

Other crimes include funding and accounting report manipulation of around 17 percent, asset transfers of 13 percent and fictitious documentation of around seven percent.

To overcome this, BI Deputy Governor Bun Bunan Hutapea said the central bank and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) signed a memorandum of understanding last December.

"We hope that corruption eradication realization's effectiveness rises," he said.

Tumpak Hatorangan, the KPK Deputy Chairman for Prosecutions, acknowledged that corruption eradication in the last three years has not been optimal.

"This cooperation is very important. So that we can easily trace suspects’ assets and cover losses," he said.

AGOENG WIJAYA | SURYANI IKA SARI