Fajarasia.id – Legal and Development analyst Hardjuno Wiwoho has stressed the importance of consistency in the government’s stance on the collection of Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) debts, following Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa’s recent statement affirming the continuation of recovery efforts.
Hardjuno emphasized that the state must not allow any interpretation suggesting obligors’ responsibilities could end without proper settlement.
“BLBI is a legal obligation, not an administrative matter that can be negotiated. The state must carry out this mandate through any mechanism available,” he said in Jakarta, Sunday (November 16).
According to him, the government must stand firm on the principle that the state’s right to collect debts never expires. Purbaya’s statement, he added, should be understood as a reminder that obligors’ obligations remain unchanged, even as the government evaluates its collection instruments.
Ensuring Legal Certainty
Hardjuno, a doctoral candidate at Universitas Airlangga, described BLBI as one of the greatest tests in Indonesia’s economic law enforcement history. He urged the government to ensure clarity in both process and policy direction so that the settlement of BLBI does not fall into uncertainty as in the past.
“People have long awaited consistency from the state. If the government declares that debt collection will continue, it must be translated into concrete and measurable steps,” he asserted.
He also highlighted the need for transparency and legal certainty in the collection process to avoid multiple interpretations, stressing that every government action must strengthen the legitimacy of law enforcement and uphold the integrity of the state in the eyes of the public.
Moral and Fiscal Dimensions
Beyond financial recovery, Hardjuno argued that BLBI enforcement carries a moral message: the state must not bow to vested interests. He further suggested that the government consider a moratorium on interest payments for BLBI recap bonds, describing the ongoing burden as an irony that weakens the country’s fiscal position.
“This is the right moment for the Finance Minister to show full decisiveness. A moratorium is not just a technical decision, but a signal that the state will not continue paying for past burdens while obligors’ obligations remain unsettled,” Hardjuno concluded.***
