Govt sues Tommy Soeharto for RP4 trillion over PT TPN assets sale

The Attorney General`s Office (AGO), acting on behalf of Indonesia`s Finance Minister, has filed a civil law suit for Rp4 trillion against Tommy Soeharto, the youngest son of Indonesia`s deceased second president, over the sale of the assets of PT Timor Putra Nasional (TPN), an AGO official said.

The government was also suing five companies, namely PT Vista Bella Pratama, PT Mandala Buana Bakti, PT Humpus, PT TPN, and Amazinas Finance Limited which is domiciled in Singapore, the AGO`s director for civil cases, Dachamer Munthe, said here Monday.

"Their acts have inflicted a loss of Rp4 trillion on the state," he said.

A sales-and-purchase agreement on PT TPN assets made by the (now defunct) National Banking Restructuring Agency (BPPN) and PT Vista Bella Pratama ran counter to the Financial Sector Policies Committee (KKSK)`s Decision No 3/2000 and the Guidelines on the Sale of Credit Assets issued by BPPN on January 31, 2003, he said.

"According to the existing documents, Tommy Soeharto is linked to PT TPN, PT Mandala Buana Bakti and PT Humpuss," Munthe said.

PT TPN had through the BPPN sold its assets to PT Vista Bella Pratama for Rp512 billion whilst the assets were actually worth Rp4.576 trillion. Later it turned out PT Vista Bella Pratama was still linked to the Humpuss Group.

The Rp4 trillion sought by the government would have to be paid by the five companies, Munthe said.

"We are sure we will win the case because we have strong proof to support our demand," Munthe said, adding the suit was filed with the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday.(*) end