Yunus Husein: Anti-money laundering czar

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 04/26/2010 9:54 AM

Yunus Husein, chairman PPATK (JP/P.J. Leo)

Amid the widespread corruption permeating through almost all state institutions, few have survived unscathed in keeping vested interests and political meddling at bay.

But one such rare bird is the anti-money laundering watchdog, the Financial Transaction and Report Analysis Center (PPATK).

And it is thanks to its first chairman, Yunus Husein — who set up the institution from scratch in mid-2002 after the passing of the anti-money laundering law, that the institution boasts an exemplary track record in maintaining integrity among its officials.

Eight years on, Yunus’s hard work presents society with an unchallenged legacy, not only of a corruption-free institution but also a money-laundering detection system that has effectively spotted many suspicious transactions stemming from illegal practices.

Yunus’ days at the PPATK are now numbered as he has to relinquish his job in October this year after serving two terms. Each term spanned four years.

Captaining the PPATK is a mammoth task not only for Yunus but also for his successor given law enforcers and politicians’ penchant for tapping into the agency’s findings for their personal gain.

When PPATK spotted suspicious transactions last year involving low-ranking tax official Gayus Tambunan and high-ranking tax official Bahasyim Assifie, the police allegedly used the evidence to seek bribes from the suspects, instead of dragging them to justice.

Yunus once recalled how several lawmakers and case brokers had even colluded with the police to take advantage of PPATK highly classified findings to extort the suspects.

While the police are authorized to follow up and receive PPATK findings, few of those findings have actually found their way into a court of law, according to Yunus.

To force the police to seriously combat money laundering, Yunus once tried to apply pressure on them in mid-2005 by revealing the existence of suspicious bank savings owned by 15 mid- and high-ranking police officers worth more than Rp 1 trillion (US$109 million) in total.

Although the findings were reported to then police chief Gen. Sutanto, no investigation was ever initiated to solve the case and bring corrupt officers before the law.

Instead of expressing gratitude, the police threatened Yunus over his remarks on the findings.

“I’m not frustrated with law enforcers. What matter most is that I’ve done my part well,” said Yunus in a recent interview.

It takes courage for Yunus to confront recalcitrant law enforcers as death threats have not been uncommon.

Yunus’ own former deputy Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji reportedly threatened Yunus last year over PPATK’s decision to pass on suspicious transactions in his bank accounts to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Susno was the police chief detective at the time, and was being targeted by the KPK.

In a recorded meeting in mid-last year, Susno lashed at Yunus behind his back before the KPK leaders, saying the PPATK findings should be submitted first to the police, not to the KPK.

“Well, we are friends now. Pak Susno has even sought our assistance in the case involving law enforcers and Gayus,” said Yunus. Susno came to Yunus because of the latter’s role as a member of the Judicial Mafia Taskforce.

Since taking a role in the taskforce early this year, Yunus’ fight against corruption has witnessed a new twist as PPATK findings submitted to the police have never been more intensively investigated than now.

After the Gayus case, PPATK findings have also been increasingly sought by other ministries, especially the Finance Ministry, to detect corrupt officials.

“It’s good that people are now taking our work seriously,” said Yunus, who loves playing table tennis and badminton after office hours.

Yunus, born in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, on Dec. 29, 1956, started his career in a banking inspection position with the central bank between 1982 and 1985 and then joined its legal affairs team until 1999.

He was deputy to the central bank’s legal director between 2001 and 2002 before the then Coordinating Minister for Security and Political Affairs, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, proposed to then president Megawati Soekarnoputri that Yunus be the first PPATK chairman.

In 2006, President Yudhoyono reappointed Yunus for a second term until 2010 due to his proven integrity and independence.

Unconfirmed reports have circulated that Yunus might be one of the candidates that Yudhoyono will propose to lawmakers to fill the vacant KPK chairman job.

Yunus, who is known for his modest lifestyle, denied ever knowing about this proposal, or even dreaming of it.

“I don’t expect that… In life, I have no other intention than to work as well as possible wherever that is. That’s it,” he said.