Account Blocked By PPATK, MUI Chair: This Is An Unwise Policy

Blocked account (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Bank accounts from the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for Da'wah and Ukhuwah KH Cholil Nafis were also affected by the blocking from PPATK. The money in the account was used for foundation purposes.

The man who is familiarly called Kiai Cholil said that his foundation's account contained a balance of around Rp. 300 million and was blocked by PPATK. According to him, the policy applied was not wise.

"A little, really, not much, at least Rp. 200-300 million to protect the foundation. However, after I tried to transfer yesterday, it turned out to be blocked. Now, this policy is not wise," he said as quoted from the official MUI website, Monday, August 11.

Kiai Cholil asked the government to think about it first before making a policy. After going through the trial, then the policy can be implemented nationally.

"Besides PPATK, it can block all accounts, it's a human right. In my opinion, there needs to be action from the President (on) policies that make noise," he said.

He was worried that the impact of the policy would make people no longer believe in banks. In addition, Kiai Cholil also responded to PPATK's findings related to 120.000 accounts allegedly traded on social media and e-commerce to accounts used for criminal acts, ranging from gambling, corruption to fraud.

The MUI leader expressed support for law enforcement in this regard. According to him, every violation of the law from accounts or others must be supported to be dealt with in accordance with statutory regulations.

In addition, he reminded the government to sort out which accounts were suspected of violating and which were not. This is intended so that the blocking of accounts can be carried out on target.

According to Kiai Cholil, blocking accounts that are not right on target can make people no longer believe in the government's recommendation to save at banks.

"Where are the people violating, where are the people who carry out the government's recommendation 'let's save, let's be diligent in saving'. This has been saving because it is not active, then it is blocked. So, if it violates, the presumption of innocence must be carried out by a legal process, then the account is blocked," he explained.

Furthermore, Kiai Cholil emphasized that blocking accounts cannot be done to everyone. The reason, according to him, is that if the blocking is not right on target against the account indicated to violate, it will violate human rights (HAM).

"Therefore, I hope that the government can judge which is right and wrong. Second, not only people who have an account, right, can be called and can also be banking, when opening an account must be really selective so there are no various requirements so that it is not used. I think banking control is the easiest about finance than controlling people stealing chickens," he added.