House delays BLBI inquiry decision

Thu, 05/22/2008 11:02 AM  |  National

JAKARTA: The House of Representatives has postponed making a decision on whether to exercise its right to launch an inquiry into the government over a bank loan scandal.

"Under the House's regulations, all factions must discuss this motion further and announce their position in the next plenary session," said deputy House speaker Muhaimin Iskandar, who presided over a plenary session Wednesday.

The next plenary meeting is scheduled for May 27, 2008.

A petition to investigate the government about the embezzlement of Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) funds was signed by 55 lawmakers.

One of the signatories, Ade Daud Nasution of the Reformed Star Party (PBR), told the Wednesday session the House should launch a probe into the scandal because the government had failed to prosecute fraudulent BLBI debtors.

He said the government insisted on reviewing its subsidy policy while refusing to resolve the BLBI case, which costs the state budget Rp 60 trillion each year in interest on the embezzled loans.

The House has summoned the government twice over the BLBI scandal. (alf)

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