Blocking FPI Account, This Is BCA's Explanation

ILLUSTRATION / BCA Building (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - FPI once protested about the blocked accounts after the government declared a ban on all FPI activities. The blocking of FPI accounts was apparently carried out by PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA) at the behest of the authorities.

Executive Vice President of the Secretariat & Corporate Communication of BCA, Hera F Haryn, said that BCA always adheres to the applicable legal provisions.

"Referring to a request from the competent authority, BCA has temporarily suspended transactions of the customer's account at BCA," Hera told reporters, Tuesday, January 5.

Hera emphasized that BCA as a banking institution is required to comply with applicable legal provisions in Indonesia and carry out instructions given by the competent authorities.

Previously it was reported that PPATK had temporarily suspended transactions and account activities of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and its affiliates.

This is in accordance with the authorities stipulated in Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering (TPPU Law) and Law Number 9 of 2013 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of Terrorism Financing Crimes.

PPATK stated that the temporary suspension of transactions and activities of FPI and its affiliated accounts was carried out in the context of implementing the function of analysis and examination of reports and information on financial transactions that indicate money laundering and / or other criminal acts.

Determination of the cessation of all FPI activities or activities as stipulated in the Joint Decree (SKB) of the Minister of Home Affairs,

The Minister of Law and Human Rights, the Minister of Communication and Information of the Republic of Indonesia, the Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia, the National Police Chief and the Head of the National Counterterrorism Agency concerning Prohibition of Activities, Use of Symbols and Attributes and Termination of FPI Activities are decisions that need to be followed up by PPATK in accordance with their authority.

In carrying out its analysis and inspection functions, the PPATK as a financial intelligence institution (Financial Intelligent Unit) has several main powers, one of which is the authority to request financial service providers (PJK) to temporarily suspend all or part of transactions known or suspected to be the result of criminal acts as regulated in Article 44 paragraph (1) letter i of the TPPU Law.

The actions taken by the PPATK referred to are actions provided by law to prevent any attempts to transfer or use funds from an account which is known or suspected to be the result of a criminal act.

Currently, in accordance with the duties, functions and authorities given by the law, PPATK is conducting tracing of financial accounts and transactions.

For the effectiveness of the analysis and examination process, PPATK has also temporarily suspended all financial transaction activities from FPI, including the temporary suspension of all individual transaction activities affiliated with FPI.

Efforts to temporarily suspend financial transactions made by PPATK will be followed up by submitting the results of analysis or examination to investigators to be followed up with a law enforcement process by the competent authorities.