SRI MULYANI READY TO ATTEND BANK CENTURY INQUIRY HEARING

Jakarta, Jan 12 (ANTARA) - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati here on Tuesday stated her readiness to attend a House Bank Century Inquiry Committee hearing on Wednesday.

"Yes, I have made myself ready, made sure what may be asked (and) prepared to explain what we have done," she said after a limited cabinet meeting at the presidential office.

Asked if she would distribute the white book on the Century Bank case published by her ministry to committee members, she said the book would be given to anyone who wished to understand what had happened so far, what was done by the government which the public still did not know about.

The finance ministry on Monday distributed a white book on the Bank Century case titled "Government Efforts to Prevent and Handling the Crisis."
The book's cover was decorated with newspaper quotes suggesting the need for the government to act quickly and correctly to deal with the crisis such as fear for the possible impact of the global crisis on Indonesia.

The book of 74 pages explains fully the process through which the Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK) made the decision to bail out Bank Century. It states that the decision was taken with a good will and logical consideration for the sake of saving the national economy.

The book written by an assistance team for familiarization of the finance ministry's policies to prevent and handle the financial crisis also explains details of the government's success in preventing the global crisis from impacting on Indonesia through quick actions with the support of the House of Representatives.

Besides explaining about the threat of the global financial crisis in 2008, the book divided in ten chapters also explains about the government's response towards the crisis and the roles played by Bank Indonesia, KSSK and the LPS (Deposit Insurance Agency) in anticipating the crisis and the chronology of the decision making process.

It also explains about the basis for the KSSK's consideration for the decision on Bank Century and the cost to be used as well as accountability and the reporting of the case.

The committee plans to summon the finance minister on Wednesday and on the same day also hear former KSSK secretary Raden Pardede and former president Jusuf Kalla.***1***
(H-YH/B/HAJM/20:40/S012)