Questioning The Government's Debt Disrupt To CMNP, Jusuf Hamka

Jusuf Hamka ensured that CMNP does not have a debt to the government regarding Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI). (Between/Galih Pradipta/rwa)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD deliberately invited Jusuf Hamka to his office on June 13. This was done to ask for an explanation of the government's debts and toll road entrepreneurs.

Because the problem is getting worse. Jusuf Hamka previously asked the government to immediately pay off his debt to his company, PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada (CMNP). Instead of getting payment certainty, suddenly a accusation emerged that CMNP must also pay its debt to the government.

The Director General of State Assets of the Ministry of Finance, Rionald Silaban during a working meeting with Commission XI of the DPR on June 12, 2023, said that CMNP has debts of hundreds of billions to the government related to Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) funds through three companies under the auspices of the Citra Group.

So because it is quite complex and complicated, the Ministry of Finance will still ensure that the debt is completed or not.

However, Jusuf denied it and challenged the government to prove the debt. He ensured CMNP does not have a debt to the government related to BLBI.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD together with Entrepreneur Jusuf Hamka gave a press statement after a meeting at the Kemenkopolhukam office, Jakarta on June 13, 2023. (Between/Galih Pradipta/rwa)

That's the reason, said Mahfud, 'I invited him here, because the president asked me to deal with the issue of state debt to the private sector and citizens. I want to make sure the government, which owes Jusuf Hamka, is not the other way around.'

From the documents shown, according to Mahfud, the state has indeed admitted to having debts to Jusuf Hamka.

The government in the era of Minister of Finance Bambang Brodjonegoro in the 2014-2016 period agreed to pay Rp179.5 billion to CMNP. However, it has not received further responses, even to date. In fact, the payment should have been made in the first half of 2016 and the first half of 2017.

"Change the minister to ask him to study it again, then until now it is jammed. There are several other similar cases that I am handling, the same. There has been a court decision but it is still pending," he said.

Mahfud will then confirm the data with the Ministry of Finance.

The government's debt to CMNP began with CMNP deposits of Rp. 78 billion at Bank Yakin Makmur (Yama). The monetary crisis that hit Indonesia in 1998 also triggered a national banking crisis. Many banks are experiencing bankruptcy.

Debitors, especially conglomerates, are unable to pay their obligations to banks. On the other hand, many people deliberately withdraw all their money from banks for fear of being lost due to the crisis. This massive withdrawal makes banks experience liquidity difficulties.

Many banks have to be liquidated, including the bank owned by Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, President Soeharto's first daughter. In order not to cause domino effects while building trust for depositors, the government issued several policies, including guaranteeing all bank payment obligations, including public deposits. The mechanism is through BLBI funds.

However, when another deposit received a replacement for its deposit, CMNP did not get its rights. The National Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN), said Special Staff to the Minister of Finance for Strategic Communications Yustinus Prastowo, rejected the request for a return because CMNP was affiliated with Bank Yama.

Siti Hardianti Rukmana apart from being the controller of Bank Yama, also served as the main commissioner at that time. He owns CMNP shares through PT Citra Lamtoro Gung.

"Based on official data at the Directorate General of AHU, Mrs. SHR/Mbak Tutut is the main commissioner or president director of PT CMNP, from 1987 to 1999. Just as the government disbursed BLBI. Mrs. SHR/Mbak Tutut is also the main commissioner and controller of Bank Yama, according to the settlement of obligations at BPPN," Yustinus said via his Twitter account on June 14, 2023.

Not accepting the decision, Jusuf then took legal action. The Supreme Court (MA) on January 15, 2010 decided that the government was obliged to pay time deposits worth IDR 78.84 billion and a giro of IDR 76.09 million. In addition, the government must also pay a 2 percent fine every month from all funds requested by CMNP.

The state, which has disbursed funds to save banks and the economy, does not have a contract with this party, is instead sentenced to pay deposits and deposits, plus fines. Of course we respect the court's decision," Yustinus added.

Five years on, the government has not paid off. The value of the debt continued to swell to around Rp. 400 billion. In the end, there was an agreement that the government only paid Rp. 179.5 billion.

Currently, the payment is not carried out. Jusuf admitted that he had complained about his problems to several coordinating ministers, including Mahfud MD. He hopes to meet with Finance Minister Sri Mulyani soon so that there is no misinformation so that everything can be resolved properly.

"I'm just asking for mercy from the Minister (Sri Mulyani). Pak Jokowi has been cooperative. The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs has been cooperative. Mbok, Mrs. Minister I ask for help, I am only the people. If it is justified that it is my right, mbok will be returned," he said after meeting Mahfud.

Previously, Mahfud said President Jokowi had twice reminded him to coordinate the payment of government debt to the public or private sector.

First on May 23, 2022, which was followed up by the issuance of the Decree of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Number 63 of 2022 which contained a re-examined order and determined payments to parties that had receivables to the government. Second, during an internal meeting on January 13, 2023.

"The president said that if the people and the private sector have debts, we collect them with discipline, but we must also be consistent if we have debts to pay, that is the president's order," he added.