JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Dahlan Iskan defended state-owned firms in the bribery scandal implicating Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) company Diebold Inc. He claimed about no high officials involved in the scandal.
He said that the “leisure facility” from the US-based company was given to the technical operator level officials. However, surprisingly, Dahlan claimed that he understands why the low-level officers received the facility. “They did not understand (the bribery),” Dahlan added.
Previously Diebold Inc agreed to pay US$25.2 million penalty for bribery allegation in China and Indonesia, and falsifying records in Russia. It will also pay another US22.9 million to resolve civil charges filed by US Securities and Exchange Commission. It made the company’s total settlement reaches US$48.1 million.
On Oct. 22, 2013, US Securities and Exchange Commission charged Diebold for corruption US Court for District of Columbia. The commission accused Diebold made approximately US$3 million in illicit payments in China, Russia and Indonesia. It also filed three claims related to regulations of anti-bribery, book and records and internal controls.
Based on the indictment letter, Diebold through its Indonesian unit PT Diebold Indonesia spent over US$147,000 on “leisure trips and entertainment” for official of three state-owned banks in Indonesia. The spending was made in 2005 -2010 period. (indrab@yosefardi.biz)