JAMBI | INDATANEWS.COM - Cheng Hua has questioned the actions of Bank Mandiri after, according to his account, the bank froze his personal savings account and subsequently deducted IDR 90,059,489 from the account balance. He said he has yet to receive an adequate explanation regarding the reasons for the account freeze or the basis for the deduction.
The incident began when
Cheng Hua attempted to withdraw money from a
Bank Mandiri ATM in the Gatot Subroto area on September 5, 2024. He discovered that his
personal account could not be accessed because the bank had frozen it.
"I was surprised. The system showed that the bank had frozen my personal account," Cheng Hua said.
According to
Cheng Hua, the balance in his
personal account at the time stood at IDR 394,943,989. He then went to
Bank Mandiri to seek an explanation regarding the status of his account.
On September 19, 2024, Cheng Hua said Bank Mandiri informed him that the freeze was related to outstanding debts. However, the following day, September 20, 2024, he noticed another change in the balance of his personal account.
The balance had decreased by IDR 90,059,489. This prompted
Cheng Hua to question the connection between the
account freeze and the deduction, which occurred one day after the bank explained that the account was linked to outstanding financial obligations.
"I want to know where the 90 million rupiah went. What I regret is that the bank did not inform us about the account freeze and the deduction," he said.
Dispute Over Use of Personal Account
Cheng Hua's lawyer, Rico Vino, said his side objected to the actions of Bank Mandiri, which, according to his client, involved the freezing of his personal savings account followed by the deduction of funds from that account.
Rico explained that
Cheng Hua did have outstanding obligations to
Bank Mandiri's Dr Sutomo Branch in Jambi through a loan account. However, he argued that this was a separate matter from the personal savings account from which the money was deducted.
According to Rico, Bank Mandiri had also previously initiated an auction process involving several of Cheng Hua's collateral assets to settle the outstanding obligations. He therefore questioned why the bank had additionally deducted money from his client's personal savings account.
"The account that was frozen and from which the funds were deducted is
Cheng Hua's personal savings account and has no connection with the loan account," Rico said.
Rico argued that the bank must have a clear legal basis if it intends to use money from a debtor's personal account to settle a loan obligation.
"If the bank actually intended to use the money from the
personal account to settle the debt, it should have a court decision ordering such an action," he said.
Rico also questioned the basis for the IDR 90,059,489 deduction. In his view, the transaction must be explained transparently, particularly because the account from which the money was taken was Cheng Hua's personal account.
The legal team also pointed to the timing of the deduction.
Cheng Hua said
Bank Mandiri froze his account on September 5, 2024. On September 19, 2024, the bank explained that the freeze was related to his financial obligations. One day later, the balance of his
personal account decreased by approximately
IDR 90 million.
This sequence of events is one of the reasons Cheng Hua and his legal counsel are seeking further clarification from Bank Mandiri.
Balance Reduced After Collateral Auction Process
Cheng Hua also explained that Bank Mandiri had previously processed five collateral assets as part of an auction procedure. One of the five assets was auctioned on September 12, 2024.
According to
Cheng Hua, the sale of the collateral took place just days before IDR 90,059,489 was deducted from his
personal account. He therefore questioned the basis for the deduction, particularly because the settlement of his obligations through the collateral assets was already underway.
Cheng Hua believes that the time gap between the sale of one of the collateral assets and the reduction in the balance of his personal account must be officially explained. He wants to know whether there was a connection between the two events and the legal basis on which the bank deducted money from his account.
According to
Cheng Hua, he has yet to receive an explanation that he considers adequate. Nearly two years after the account was frozen and the balance was reduced, he said he is still waiting for an official explanation regarding the whereabouts of the IDR 90,059,489.
For Cheng Hua, the issue is not solely about the amount deducted, but also about the procedure and legal basis for the measures taken against his personal account. He wants a clear explanation of why the bank froze the account, the basis on which the balance was reduced, and where the money was transferred or otherwise used.
"I want to know where the 90 million rupiah went. What I regret is that the bank did not inform us about the
account freeze and the deduction," he said.
He hopes Bank Mandiri's Dr Sutomo Branch in Jambi will facilitate direct dialogue and provide an official explanation so that the matter does not continue to raise unanswered questions.
Cheng Hua Calls for Official Response from
Bank MandiriCheng Hua emphasized that he wants to meet directly with representatives of Bank Mandiri to obtain an explanation regarding the amount deducted from his personal account.
"At its core, I want to meet with the bank and receive an official explanation about the 90 million rupiah," he said.
He hopes such a meeting will clearly establish the process behind the account freeze, the reasons for the bank's action, and the basis for reducing the balance by IDR 90,059,489.
Meanwhile,
Cheng Hua's legal counsel said the bank must provide an explanation that specifically addresses the question of the legal basis for using funds from a personal savings account to settle obligations arising from a loan account.
The case is of particular concern to Cheng Hua because the personal savings account, which according to his account was not directly connected to the loan account, was frozen and its balance subsequently reduced. Together with his legal counsel, he is calling on Bank Mandiri to openly and transparently explain the basis for these actions.
As of the publication of this report on Saturday, August 29, 2026,
Bank Mandiri had not yet issued a statement regarding
Cheng Hua's allegations concerning the freezing of his
personal account and the deduction of IDR 90,059,489.
(IDNC)REPORTER: Dalil Harahap | EDITOR: Fik Sagala