House of Representatives leadership has decided to extend the term of the monitoring team for the Bank Century bailout case another year.
House deputy speaker Priyo Budi Santoso said that during a closed-door meeting with House leaders, monitoring team members extended their term after getting assurance from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) that it could immediately resolve the case.
"I thought this would be the last meeting on Century. But seeing the response of the KPK, it is possible to extend the term," said Priyo, a Golkar Party politician.
Priyo said the monitoring team committee wanted more people involved in the case brought to the House for further inquiry.
The House, he said, would likely summon former Bank Indonesia deputy governor Budi Mulya, who has been named suspect in the case, for another round of questioning.
The probe into the case has dragged on for years.
The case centers on a bailout totaling Rp 6.76 trillion (US$757.12 million) in late 2008.
Among other irregularities found in a forensic audit by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) was a fund transfer to Hartanto Edhie Wibowo and his wife Satya Kumala Sari, in-laws of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The BPK, the KPK and the House all agreed that the bailout had caused potential state losses.
Budi, the only person that has been named a suspect in the case since the KPK started investigating in 2009, allegedly abused his authority by giving Bank Century short-term assistance (FPJP) in 2008.
KPK chairman Abraham Samad has said that resolving the case would be the hallmark of his tenure.
Soon after being elected KPK chairman, Abraham vowed that the case would be resolved no later than December 2012.
On Tuesday, the KPK questioned the Finance Ministry's tax directorate general, Fuad Rahmany, as a witness in the case.
Fuad said that he was asked by KPK investigators about a meeting that took place on Nov. 21, 2008 with the Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK), which was authorized to assess the bailout plan.
Fuad said that he objected the government's plan to bailout the bank because it was not necessary, as the bank's bankruptcy would not lead to the collapse of the country's financial sector.
KPK spokesperson Johan Budi said the investigation was moving slow because the antigraft body's investigators needed more information before they could complete the dossier on Budi
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