Support for Boediono and Sri Mulyani grows

Vice President Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani may find themselves in the hot seat for their alleged decision-making mistake concerning the Bank Century debacle.

But public support grows.

Boediono and Mulyani are considered the most responsible regarding the decision to bail out the ailing bank at a meeting they led in November last year. Boediono was Bank Indonesia governor when the bailout, said to have cost the country Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million), was issued.

Their key role in the bailout was shown in an audit report on the debacle from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) submitted to the House of Representatives late last month. Pressure grew for Boediono and Mulyani to resign.

The Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI), however, said Wednesday that it was not fair the public judge Boediono and Sri Mulyani guilty prematurely, and they should be given a chance to present their argument.

“ICMI agrees that the debacle must be properly probed,” ICMI presidium chairman Azyumardi Azra said. “But it’s important to maintain the presumption of innocence.

“ICMI does not endorse that [Boediono and Mulyani] resign, unless there is evidence to prove they are guilty.”

Boediono and Mulyani insisted that salvaging Bank Century helped prevent a potential Indonesian banking-system meltdown.

Source : The Jakarta Post