Mahfud MD, Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Human Rights recently formed a Money Laundering Task Force (Satgas TPPU) tasked with unravelling allegedly suspicious transactions with a total value of IDR 349 trillion (US$ 23.7 billion). The task force examines 300 letters and receipt and plans to complete its investigation by the end of 2023.
However, the presentation data and clarification provided by Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati differs compared to data received by Mahfud MD.
Problems in newly established task force
Last March, Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Human Rights Mahfud MD issued a statement stating that there were unusually high-value transactions based on reports from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) and the Ministry of Finance.
According to Mahfud MD, the Ministry of Finance employees had conducted transactions amounting to IDR 35 trillion. However, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati stated on March 27, 2023, that the transaction value only reached IDR 3.3 trillion.
Following the contradicting information provided, the House of Representatives (DPR) called on both ministers to clarify the issue.
As a result, a Minister Mahfud formed a special task force to analyze reports, information and suspected money laundering activities. The task force’s duty is to analyze 200 reports on inspection results and documents received by the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, the Directorate General of Taxes, as well as 100 reports received and handled by the police, prosecutors and other institutions.
Illegal imports of gold bullion
Mahfud MD said that the Task Force would conduct an investigation of the case with the highest score, which is the manipulation of information on gold bar import at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise.
This case of illegal gold bar import has become a priority and is believed to amount up to IDR 189 trillion. However, the case still needs to be clarified.
It is said that there are loopholes that can be exploited in the import of gold bullions, such as the HS Code or the classification of codes for goods subject to import duties and taxes. These numbers can be changed so that the illegal gold bars can be exempted from import duties and taxes.
Sri Mulyani explains
As many as 300 letters has been delivered by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to respective authorities to be examined. Two hundred out of the 300 letters were sent to the Ministry of Finance and another 100 were sent to Law Enforcement Officials (APH).
As many as 65 letters received by the Ministry of Finance contained information in debit, credit and all operational transactions of companies and corporations, including gold bullion excise valued at IDR 189 trillion in one letter.
Meanwhile, as many as 135 letters valued at IDR 22 trillion included the names of employees of the Ministry of Finance.
According to the clarification given by Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, the amount submitted by Mahfud MD was different referring to all the data submitted by the Ministry of Finance and law enforcement officials.
Mahfud MD explains
Meanwhile, the alleged transaction case put forward by Mahfud MD is slightly different in terms of clarification and presentation of data.
Based on Mahfud MD’s explanation, the 300 reports on the analysis and are grouped into three as follows:
- Suspicious transactions involving the Ministry of Finance worth IDR 35 trillion, which differs from the statement of the Ministry of Finance Sri Mulyani on March 27, 2023 amounting to IDR 3.3 trillion;
- Suspicious transactions allegedly involving employees of the Ministry of Finance and other parties amounting to IDR 53 trillion;
- Suspicious transactions concerning the authority of the Ministry of Finance as an investigator of predicate crimes and money laundering crimes for which data on the involvement of Ministry of Finance employees has not yet been obtained in the amount of IDR 260 trillion;
- There are allegations that as many as 491 State Civil Servants (ASN) of the Ministry of Finance were involved in suspicious transactions;
- Allegedly there were 13 civil servants or other Institutions, and 570 non-civil servant parties involved in suspicious transactions.
