Chairman Of The DPD BLBI Special Committee Suggests Fadel Muhammad To Focus On Managing Bank Intan Problems

Head of the BLBI Special Committee (Pansus) DPD Bustami Zainudin. (Photo: Special)

JAKARTA - A number of members of the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) finally spoke about the withdrawal of Fadel Muhammad as Deputy Chair of the MPR. They emphasized that the decision to remove Fadel was very appropriate in order to maintain the dignity and prestige of the DPD RI.

Therefore, they suggested that the Golkar Party politician should focus on resolving the outstanding Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) debt on behalf of the bank he owns, namely Bank Intan, rather than fuss over his removal from the leadership of the DPD.

Head of the BLBI Special Committee (Pansus) DPD Bustami Zainudin said the decision to withdraw Fadel Muhammad had become a collective decision of the DPD RI. This decision was taken in the highest forum, namely the 2nd Plenary Session of the DPD RI during the first session of the 2022-2023 Session Year.

'Of the 136 DPD members, 96 members want Pak Fadel to be replaced. From my perspective, Mr. Fadel should accept this and immediately focus on solving the problem with the BLBI Task Force," said Bustami in a written statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, August 23.

Bustami explained that the DPD BLBI Special Committee worked based on the findings of the BPK and the Ministry of Finance. Therefore, on August 10, the DPD BLBI Special Committee summoned Fadel Muhammad to confirm the Ministry of Finance and BPK's data regarding the BLBI matter received by Bank Intan.

The reason is, in the data from the Ministry of Finance and the BPK, it is stated that as of December 2020 Bank Intan still has a debt to the state of Rp. 136.43 billion.

However, to the DPD BLBI Special Committee, Fadel continued to insist that Bank Intan's BLBI debt problem had been resolved. Unfortunately, Fadel's acknowledgment is not supported by evidence, namely the Clearance Certificate (SKL) by the National Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA).

"Mr. Fadel claims that the Bank Intan case related to the BLBI debt has been completed and there has even been a judicial review from the Supreme Court. However, the Ministry of Finance's data says otherwise. So, we confronted this data," said Bustami.

Based on his confession when summoned by the DPD RI Special Committee, Fadel said his debt as a shareholder of Bank Intan was clear because he had won in court up to the Supreme Court level. However, he could not prove it through a Lunas Certificate (SKL).

"In fact, if he can show the SKL and there is no legal problem, then we can declare it clear. What is the lawsuit in court for? That's why the DPD deactivated Mr. Fadel so that his legal problems are clear first, and the BLBI Task Force is resolved first, the debt is paid off first. As The MPR leadership is in legal trouble? It can't be done," said Bustami.

Meanwhile, another DPD member, Darmansyah Husein explained that as a recipient of the BLBI facility in 1997/1998, Fadel as a shareholder of Bank Intan received a BLBI of Rp1.4 trillion.

Even from the data from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia, in this case the BLBI Presidential Decree Team in 2021, it is stated that Fadel has still not paid off his BLBI Facility obligations. What remains to be fulfilled by Bank Intan's shareholders, including Fadel, is Rp. 125 billion.

But to the DPD BLBI Special Committee, Fadel denied that Bank Intan received a BLBI facility worth Rp. 1.4 trillion but admitted that it received Rp. 150 billion and it was paid off.

"This means that it is not yet clear, because the BPK and the Ministry of Finance have stated otherwise," said Darmansyah Husein, who is also a member of the DPD BLBI Special Committee.

In addition, member of the BLBI Special Committee, DPD Sukiryanto, also questioned the attitude of Fadel Muhammad when he was the Chairman of Commission XI for Banking Finance at the DPR from the Golkar faction in the SBY era. At that time, Commission XI approved the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia for the Allocation of Interest for Government Recapitalization Bonds (OR ex BLBI).

This data can be checked from valid data during the 10 years that President SBY was in power, approximately IDR 930 trillion has been disbursed for the payment of interest subsidies on recap bonds.

"Mr. Fadel's answer is ambiguous. He argues, only members of political parties and the policies in the DPR are dominated by the policies of political parties which are very dependent on the leadership of the political parties so that he cannot do anything. This does not seem like the quality of Pak Fadel as a representative of the people, how is it?" said Sukiryanto.

Meanwhile, Expert Staff of the DPD Special Committee, Hardjuno Wiwoho, said that what Fadel Muhammad claimed before the BLBI DPD Special Committee that he had won all decisions and court decisions up to the Supreme Court level was not true.

"I have reviewed all the files on Fadel Muhammad's appeal in court and the appeal lost. But the essence of this BLBI debt is SKL, and SKL is now also openly tested whether it violates the law or not. But SKL is the key to everything related to BLBI debtors including Mr. Fadel," concluded Hardjuno.