Chicken for Ghalib over Soeharto probe<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Disappointed and angry students on Tuesday
\npresented a black chicken to Attorney General Lt. Gen. Muhammad
\nGhalib when he persistently refused to set a deadline for the
\ninvestigation into former president Soeharto's wealth.<\/p>\n
\"I don't want to precede God (by promising), because this
\nprocess is quite complex,\" Ghalib told a group of 20 students
\nfrom Trisakti University and the Communication Forum for Jakarta
\nStudent Senates (FKSMJ), at his office. The students had managed
\nto enter the building and voice demands that Soeharto be tried
\nfor alleged abuses of power and amassing an illegal fortune.<\/p>\n
\"Do not abuse the name of God Pak,\" a student shouted.<\/p>\n
Outside the Attorney General's office, about 1,000 chanting
\nstudents waited for the results of the negotiations.<\/p>\n
At least 300 students remained until late evening on the
\ncompounds but around 10:30 p.m. security people were seen trying
\nto evacuate them.<\/p>\n
Ghalib dismissed their allegations that he had done nothing to
\npursue the matter since he became Attorney General in June
\nbecause he did not have the nerve to enforce the law.<\/p>\n
He claimed that over the past five months he had resolved 600
\npercent more corruption cases than were resolved all of last
\nyear. Ghalib replaced Soedjono C. Atmonegoro on June 15, almost
\nthree weeks after President B.J. Habibie established his cabinet
\nfollowing Soeharto's resignation on May 21.<\/p>\n
In their statement read out by a student, Dandy, the students
\nsaid Soeharto should be tried for committing political, economic
\nand legal crimes during his rule. They also insisted that Habibie
\nand Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto were legally responsible
\nfor the Black Friday tragedy on Nov. 13, when protesting students
\nclashed with security personnel, ending in the deaths of a number
\nof students.<\/p>\n
\"The probe over his (Soeharto's) riches must be completed
\nwithin one month, at the most,\" said Dandy.<\/p>\n
Upon realizing that they would not be able to persuade Ghalib
\nto agree to the deadline, some female students approached Ghalib
\nand handed a chicken to the Attorney General. Ghalib's assistant
\ngrabbed the chicken from his hand.<\/p>\n
\"You are just a chicken and not a tiger,\" read a poster the
\nstudent's waved as they left the shocked three-star general.<\/p>\n
\"I have worked day and night so why don't you trust me?\"
\nGhalib complained.<\/p>\n
Minister\/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung has said that Ghalib's
\noffice was only able to find Rp 21 billion (US$2.7 million) in
\nSoeharto's domestic bank accounts. Some parties, including Forbes
\nmagazine, have estimated Soeharto's fortune at $4 billion.<\/p>\n
Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes Anton Sujata said
\non Tuesday his office had found that Soeharto owns three hectares
\nof land in Yogyakarta, controls hundreds of thousand of hectares
\nof forest concession rights in East Kalimantan and has stakes in
\nseveral private firms. \"All of them in his own name,\" said Anton.<\/p>\n
Head of ABRI's Legal Affairs Maj. Gen. Timor Manurung said
\nthat Soeharto has not asked for legal representation from the
\ndepartment, although as a retired general he has the right to it.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile on Tuesday, Hutomo Mandala Putra, Soeharto's
\nyoungest son, underwent questioning at the Attorney General's
\nOffice for a second straight day in connection with a
\nmultimillion dollar land scam, Antara news agency reported.<\/p>\n
Hutomo, known as Tommy, arrived at the office at 8:10 a.m.,
\njust before the building was besieged by student demonstrators.<\/p>\n
The questioning ended two hours later, the news agency said.<\/p>\n
Barman Zahir, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office,
\nsaid that a travel ban has been imposed on Tommy, as well as
\nBeddu Amang, former chief of the National Logistics Agency
\n(Bulog), and another businessman, Ricardo Gelael.<\/p>\n
Tommy was questioned over the sale of Bulog's property in
\nKelapa Gading, North Jakarta, to PT Goro Batara Sakti, a giant
\nsupermarket chain in which he and Gelael owned some shares.<\/p>\n
Bulog was estimated to have lost Rp 52.5 billion ($7 million)
\nin the deal. Anton Sujata said on Monday that Amang and Gelael
\nhave been declared suspects.<\/p>\n
Gelael and Tommy owned 40 percent of the shares in Goro, while
\nthe rest belonged to cooperatives. (edt\/rms\/prb)<\/p>",
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