TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Speaker of the House of Representatives Bambang Soesatyo has called on the government to watch closely money circulation ahead of the simultaneous regional election and the Eid al-Fitr. He said it was needed as anticipation counterfeit money circulation.

"Because usually counterfeit money circulation will increase ahead the regional election and Eid al-Fitr," Bambang Soesatyo said in a statement on Sunday.

Soesatyo made his statement in response to the disclosure of a syndicate that produce and circulate counterfeit money in Rp100,000 notes.

The case has been investigated further by the crime investigation unit (Bareskrim) of the Indonesian Police.

The House speaker has also called on the Finance Ministry, the Central Bank (BI) and the Counterfeit Money Eradication Coordination Agency (Botasupal) to monitor money circulation.

He also called on the public to increase awareness on counterfeit money circulation and only exchange their currencies in banks and authorized money changers.

"The public must be aware of this, to minimize counterfeit money circulation," he said, adding that the police should investigate the case thoroughly and impose appropriate punishment for the perpetrators.

Previously, the police has named AP as a suspect in counterfeit money circulation. He was allegedly funded the production of counterfeit money.

Deputy Director of special economic crime Senior Commissioner Daniel Tahi Monang Silitonga said, AP has confessed he committed the crime to pay his debt.

"Daniel said, the police has named three other suspects AK (56), AD (62), and AM (35) who played different roles to design and print the money.

They sold the original Rp100,000 notes for three pieces of counterfeit notes.

ANTARA