President Refutes Talk On Bank Century

Jakarta, Aug 16 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono disclosed that there was no discussion regarding the Bank Century, moreover the bank bailout during a meeting in the palace on October 9, 2008 that the president chaired. Yudhoyono here on Wednesday night refuted the allegations made by Antasari Azhar, the former head of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), about the state palace`s role in the controversial Rp6.7 trillion bailout for the Bank Century. "I say tonight before Allah (the Almighty God) that no one mentioned the name of Century, let alone discussed the Bank Century bailout," the president said in his statement to the press at the State Palace on Wednesday night (Aug 15). The head of state pointed out that the meeting discussed about the situation of global economic crises and hearing the views of the high ranking law enforcers. "Our aim was for an exchange of views and to have consultation for an important point of how to anticipate the crisis," the president explained, adding that the October 9 meeting was actually a follow up to the October 6, 2012 meeting at the state secretary office. The October 9 meeting was among other things as a follow up to the October 6, 2012, one attended by the cabinet members, the economists and the mass media representatives, Yudhoyono said. Previously, a spokesman for the President has also refuted a statement made by Antasari, the former chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). "This is not true and should be corrected," Julian Aldrin Pasha said on Friday.