Breaking News: BLBI Obligor Marimutu Sinivasan Suspected of Fleeing to Malaysia, Caught by Immigration

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) Obligor, Marimutu Sinivasan, allegedly wanted to flee to Malaysia. His plan failed because he was caught by the immigration officers at the Entikong Cross Border Post (PLBN).

Tempo obtained photos of when the immigration officers intercepted Marimutu Sinivasan. The Texmaco Group boss was seen in a car wearing a shirt lined with a beige jacket and black trousers. He appeared to be signing a document given to him by an officer.

“Sinivasan wanted to escape via Entikong this afternoon. The officers caught him,” said a Tempo source at the Directorate General of Immigration, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Sunday, September 8, 2024.

This source explained that the immigration officers at PLBN Entikong realized that there were people on the ban list who wanted to cross the country. The officer at the location then reported to his superiors. “We took (confiscated) the passport,” he said.

Director General of Immigration Silmy Karim confirmed this information. “Yes, it's true, but it was detected by the officers,” he said when confirmed by Tempo via WhatsApp short message. 

Silmy said Marimutu's debarment was carried out by Entikong immigration officers at 5pm. “His passport was seized,” he continued. 

A Tempo Magazine report titled Celah Cegah Obligor BLBI (Loopholes to Prevent BLBI Obligors) wrote that the Director General of Immigration had issued a prevention letter against Marimutu Sinivasan on January 26-July 26, 2022 at the request of the Ministry of Finance. The prevention against Marimutu was then extended on July 26, 2022 until January 26, 2023.

However, the Ministry of Finance did not immediately re-submit the request to extend the prevention that expired in January. They only submitted a new request on June 8, 2023 and it expired on December 8, 2023.

After the ban expired, the Ministry of Finance was negligent and did not immediately request an extension. As a result, Marimutu Sinivasan traveled to Dubai on May 25, 2024 and returned four days later. The Ministry of Finance only resubmitted Marimutu's prevention request on June 3, 2024.

During the 1997-1998 financial crisis, Texmaco Group became one of the business groups that received BLBI bailout funds. In the middle of last year, Texmaco was recorded as owing the state Rp31.72 trillion and US$3.91 billion. This figure was stated in a letter from the Jakarta III State Service and Auction Office of the Ministry of Finance addressed to Marimutu on June 15, 2023.

Fajar Pebrianto contributed to the writing of this article.

ADVIST KHOIRUNIKMAH

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