March 9, 2023
JAKARTA – Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD announced on Wednesday that some Rp 300 trillion (US$19.4 billion) in suspicious transactions had been discovered within the Finance Ministry.
Mahfud said at an event at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta that the suspect transactions involved officials from the Taxation Directorate General and the Customs and Excise Directorate General.
The minister noted that he had shared the findings with Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK).
“As of today, we have found transactions amounting to Rp 300 trillion, and we need to track this down,” Mahfud told reporters on Wednesday morning, adding that he had chosen to publicly disclose the information so that it would not be leaked and declared a hoax.
“This is to prevent a hoaxes. What I said is not a hoax; I have written proof,” the minister said.
Mahfud’s statement came only one day after the PPATK revealed that some Rp 500 billion in 40 frozen bank accounts could be linked to tax official Rafael Alun Trisambodo.
PPATK head Ivan Yustiavandana confirmed the statement on Tuesday and added that the figure would likely increase.