Many On Twitter Tagar #boikotsyariahmandiri, Bank Syariah Mandiri Admits Frozen FPI Account

Rizieq Shihab. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Rumors that PT Bank Syariah Mandiri (BSM) have blocked accounts of customers affiliated with the banned mass organization, the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), has finally been revealed.

BSM Corporate Secretary Ivan Ally confirmed the company's move. According to him, the policy for freezing the accounts was in accordance with the prevailing regulations.

"Bank Syariah Mandiri stated that it always obeys and complies with the laws and regulations in force in Indonesia in carrying out all banking operations, including the temporary suspension of customer accounts," he said on January 11, as quoted by Bisnis.com.

Ivan confirmed, this blocking was temporary in accordance with the direction of the competent authorities.

"Not on the bank's initiative," he added.

Meanwhile, the authorities referred to by Ivan include the Police, Attorney General's Office, Judges, KPK, Tax Officers, and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK).

In the future, BSM invites certain parties and agencies that feel they own and are responsible for the account to directly contact the bank if they feel that the freezing decision is burdensome.

"If the customer objects to the suspension, the customer can directly contact us to get further explanation," he said.

BSM's strategic policy towards customer account status fulfills a similar action previously taken by PT Bank Central Asia Tbk. (BCA).

As previously reported, BCA had already received the spotlight when it was discovered to be a financial service institution where FPI deposited its funds. In an official statement, the bank with the issuer ticker BBCA said that FPI's financial activities at the company had been frozen.

"Referring to a request from the competent authority, BCA has temporarily suspended transactions of the customer's account at BCA," said Executive Vice President of BCA Secretariat & Corporate Communication Hera F. Haryn on Tuesday, January 5.

It was later discovered that the value of the account from the organization led by Rizieq Shihab was around Rp1.5 billion. VOI then tried to confirm further to the President Director of BCA, Jahja Setiaatmadja about the steps to freeze the account in question.