Decree lets govt take over Soeharto foundation assets<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A new presidential decree will be issued
\nallowing the government to take over Rp 4 trillion (US$540
\nmillion) in assets from former president Soeharto's seven
\nfoundations.<\/p>\n
The decree would allow the government, through the
\nCoordinating Ministry for People's Welfare and Poverty
\nEradication, more than the mere \"operational coordination\" it
\ncurrently has over the foundations' funds.<\/p>\n
\"There will be a new presidential decree to utilize the funds
\nfrom these foundations more effectively,\" Coordinating Minister
\nfor People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Basri Hasanuddin
\nsaid on Monday.<\/p>\n
Assistant to coordinating minister for people's welfare and
\npoverty eradication Dharmadi told The Jakarta Post that the new
\ndecree would cede more power to control the total assets of the
\nseven foundations -- Supersemar, Dharmais, Dakab, Amal Bakti
\nMuslim Pancasila, Dana Sejahtera Mandiri, Gotong Royong and
\nTrikora.<\/p>\n
\"It will go further than just the operational control of the
\nfoundations,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Dharmadi refused to elaborate any further, saying information
\nabout the decree should come from the presidential palace.<\/p>\n
The question of Soeharto's foundations became an issue
\nfollowing the former president's resignation.<\/p>\n
After strong public criticism, Soeharto handed over the
\nfoundations in November 1998 with the understanding that its
\nmoney could be used to help the government's poverty alleviation
\nprograms.<\/p>\n
Then information minister Muhammad Yunus claimed Soeharto, in
\na letter dated Nov. 22, 1998, had handed over the foundations to
\nhis successor B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
Habibie assigned then coordinating minister for people's
\nwelfare and poverty eradication Haryono Suyono to represent the
\ngovernment as \"operational coordinator\" of the foundations.<\/p>\n
The controversy over the funds surrounds the method in which
\nthe money was collected as it was often a result of \"official
\nsiphoning\" of public funds through a presidential decree.<\/p>\n
These decrees were eventually revoked when Soeharto stepped
\ndown.<\/p>\n
What has escaped the public's attention thus far is that while
\nthe government now functions as \"operational coordinator\" it has
\nno direct authority to disburse the funds without the approval of
\ncertain former government officials who were top ranking state
\nofficials during the Soeharto era.<\/p>\n
In effect, the government was dependent upon their approval to
\ndisburse any amount of money.<\/p>\n
Haryono Suyono, who is vice chairman of the Dana Sejahtera
\nMandiri Foundation, also serves as the interlocutor between the
\nseven foundations and the government, despite no longer holding
\nany official government post.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the Post on Monday, Haryono maintained that
\nSoeharto had never legally gave up control of the foundations'
\nassets to the government.<\/p>\n
\"The government only has operational control, as stipulated by
\na presidential decree which appointed the coordinating minister
\nas coordinator of the operational team,\" he contended.<\/p>\n
Haryono underlined that the government can intervene in the
\nprograms of the foundation but extracts funds without approval.<\/p>\n
\"The assets and the (composition of) board members of the
\nfoundations are our internal issues,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked if the general public was duped into thinking that
\nthe control of the foundations was handed over to the government,
\nHaryono merely replied: \"I cannot comment on that. It happened in
\nthe past which I've already forgotten about and no longer look
\nback on.\"<\/p>\n
Sources at the foundations told the Post that Soeharto had
\ndelegated the authority of the assets of the foundations
\npersonally to Haryono not as the then coordinating minister but
\nto him personally.<\/p>\n
Dana Sejahtera Mandiri Foundation, which was set up in 1996,
\nowns the largest amount of money among the seven foundations with
\nabout Rp 1.1 trillion.<\/p>\n
The source also confirmed that up to now Soeharto still chairs
\nthe foundations while several former top ranking officials serve
\nas vice chairmen of these foundations.<\/p>\n
Haryono said former vice president Sudharmono serves as vice
\nchairman of the Dakab Foundation, which was set up in July 1985,
\nmainly to finance Golkar's political activities.<\/p>\n
Haryono claimed the Dakab Foundation now concentrates its
\nactivities on poverty eradication programs.<\/p>\n
When asked about allegations of corruption and misuse of
\npresidential power to amass funds for the foundations, Haryono
\nsaid if Soeharto is found guilty, he should be sentenced.<\/p>\n
\"But please, don't disrupt the good deeds these foundations
\nhave done,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When further pressed if he knew of any misuse, Haryono said:
\n\"I cannot tell you whether that's true or not. Maybe in the
\npolitically linked foundations it could happen, I don't know.\"
\n(dja)<\/p>",
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