Mahfud MD Asks Jiwasraya And Asabri's Cases To Be Investigated Into The Criminal Domain

Deputy Chief Justice Mahfud MD (Wardhany Tsa Tsia/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Mahfud MD said the legal process related to Jiwasraya insurance which is handled by the Attorney General's Office and Asabri which is handled by the police is continuing. It's just that he asked these two cases not to be withdrawn to the civil domain in order to stay focused on the crime.

"If it has entered into the realm of criminal law, of course it cannot be turned into civil if there is a criminal element," Mahfud told reporters at a press conference with Attorney General ST Burhanuddin at the Kemenkopolhukam Office, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, January 22.

He then explained that the lines of criminal and civil law are certainly different so that they cannot be diverted carelessly. So, if a civil element is found in the Jiwasraya and Asabri cases, the criminal element must be resolved first.

"If there is a criminal element. Civil, let it be resolved, the crime does not change only because after it is known and then taken to civil measures, it is not allowed in criminal law," he said.

Attorney General ST Burhanuddin (Wardhany Tsa Tsia / VOI)

In the same location, regarding the Jiwasraya case, Burhanuddin said the attorney general was planning to summon the Financial Services Authority (OJK) to provide some data. He also said that he would investigate the involvement of an investment management company.

"Yes, if there is always an opportunity (involvement of an investment management company). It is still under development," said Burhanuddin before getting into his car.

Previously reported, until now PT Jiwasraya is still in the public spotlight. The State Owned Enterprise (BUMN) failed to pay the customer's JS Saving Plan policy which reached trillions of rupiah and caused a loss of Rp 13.7 trillion in state finances.

Currently, the AGO has named five suspects. They are the President Director of PT Asuransi Jiwasraya, Hendrisman Rahim and four other people, namely Benny Tjokrosaputro, Heru Hidayat, Harry Prasetyo, and Syahmirwan.

Jiwasraya has been in turmoil for a long time, starting in 2004, the reserves owned by the company were smaller than it should have been with an insolvency reaching Rp. 2.769 trillion. The chaos continued until in October 2018 the company announced that it was unable to pay the customer's JS Saving Plan policy of IDR 802 billion.

Until this year Jiwasraya's finances have not improved. The company's assets were recorded at IDR 23.26 trillion, but its liabilities amounted to IDR 50.5 trillion. Negative equity of Rp. 27.24 trillion and liabilities for the JS Saving Plan products reached Rp. 15.75 trillion.