Jakarta (ANTARA News) - House of Representatives (DPR)`s Commission XI on financial affairs will soon summon Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo over the purchase by the government of seven percent of PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT) divestment shares, a legislator said.

"The finance minister will be summoned as soon as possible to cancel the purchase of NNT`s divestment shares," Commission XI Deputy Chairman Harry Azhar Azis said here on Sunday.

The State Audit Board (BPK) has issued an opinion that the transaction on the acquisition of seven percent of the divestment shares had used funds from the state budget.

"The BPK said in its opinion on the results of its auditing that there was a violation in the purchase of the shares. So, we will soon summon the minister," he said.

He said that there were two points in the opinion of the state audit board that had to become the government attention.

"BPK said an investment by the government using the state money needs a special government regulation. The same is true to state participation funds given to state firms which also needs a special government regulation," he said.

The second thing, he said, is that the government needs approval from the House if it wants to make the investment.

"The House must approve it in the first place because the funds to purchase the stake came from the state budget. So far, the finance minister has never asked the House`s approval," he said.(*)

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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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