Gus Dur pays Soeharto a visit at home<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid paid a congenial
\nvisit to former president Soeharto's residence on Wednesday which
\nevolved into a birthday luncheon for First Lady Sinta Nuriyah.<\/p>\n
The much anticipated meeting came on the day Soeharto was
\nexpected to show up for a medical examination to determine his
\nhealth to face questioning on alleged corruption during his three
\ndecades in power.<\/p>\n
While the visit to Soeharto's residence on Jl. Cendana,
\nCentral Jakarta, may have carried political undertones the
\natmosphere was a familial gathering.<\/p>\n
The highlight of the private lunch was apparently a surprise
\ngesture when the former first family rolled out a tumpeng
\n(traditional yellow rice cone) specially made for Sinta Nuriyah
\nwho was celebrating her 52nd birthday.<\/p>\n
After the lunch the two came out on the porch like old chums
\nholding hands in front of the horde of waiting journalists.<\/p>\n
\"Please don't think bad things, this is no more than a visit
\nfrom a younger person to his senior,\" Abdurrahman told
\njournalists after the one-hour meeting.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said he would visit Soeharto again during the
\nfourth commemoration of the death of Soeharto's wife Tien
\nSoeharto on April 28.<\/p>\n
The usually reclusive Soeharto could only grin with his usual
\ninfectious smile as he was put on public display standing beside
\nAbdurrahman.<\/p>\n
He did not say a word.<\/p>\n
When journalists pleaded for him to say a few words he waved
\nhis hand and gestured to his mouth as if to communicate that he
\ncould not speak.<\/p>\n
The President went to Soeharto's residence immediately after
\nchairing a morning Cabinet meeting. He was accompanied by his
\nwife, State Secretary Bondan Gunawan and Minister of Foreign
\nAffairs Alwi Shihab.<\/p>\n
Among those present during the gathering at the Jl. Cendana
\nresidence were Soeharto's two daughters Siti Hardiyanti \"Tutut\"
\nRukmana and Siti Hedijati \"Titik\" Prabowo. Soeharto's lawyer Juan
\nFelix Tampubolon was also present.<\/p>\n
While Abdurrahman was elected under a tide of reform which
\ninitially led to Soeharto's resignation in May 1998, he has made
\nit well known that he harbors no ill feelings toward the 78-year-
\nold former president.<\/p>\n
He has even said that he would eventually pardon Soeharto if
\nhe is found guilty of wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
Soeharto's state of health has been a point of controversy,
\nparticularly as lawyers have used it as a justification for not
\nabiding to the Attorney General's Office summons.<\/p>\n
Speaking on behalf of the family, Soeharto's eldest daughter
\nTutut said her father was very honored with the visit. She
\nexpressed hope the relationship between Abdurrahman and her
\nfather would remain good.<\/p>\n
\"Bapak is very happy because he is able to see the President,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
When asked whether Soeharto was able to communicate with
\nAbdurrahman, Tutut replied: \"He can talk slowly. Alhamdulillah
\n(Thank God), physically Bapak's health is very good.\"<\/p>\n
Checkup<\/p>\n
The question of Soeharto's health was particularly important
\nas Soeharto was, according to Attorney General's Office
\nofficials, due to be examined by a medical team from Cipto
\nMangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n
But from the afternoon it was clear that Soeharto's family and
\nlawyers had no intention of taking the former president there.<\/p>\n
Tutut, who served as minister of social services in the last
\nCabinet under Soeharto, dismissed the idea altogether, while
\nlawyer Tampubolon said neither he nor the Soeharto family had
\nreceived any official request for the medical examination.<\/p>\n
\"Until this second, the family, the lawyers and Pak Harto's
\nteam of doctors have not received any information or
\nnotification,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said on Tuesday evening to student demonstrators that
\nSoeharto would be examined by a medical team the next day. An
\nearlier plan to send a medical examination team on Monday also
\nfailed to yield any results.<\/p>\n
The examination was initially planned for 6 p.m. at the
\nCendrawasih Pavilion at RSCM.<\/p>\n
At about 5 p.m. Attorney General officials were still
\ninsistent that the examination would proceed as planned.<\/p>\n
But by about 7:30 p.m. even the doctors gave up.<\/p>\n
\"We've been waiting since 6 p.m.,\" RSCM neurologist Dr. Yusuf
\nMisbach said as he left the hospital.<\/p>\n
Later on Wednesday night Attorney General Marzuki Darusman
\nsaid the medical team had prepared everything for the
\nexamination.<\/p>\n
\"The RSCM team even prepared refreshments,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
When asked about Tampubolon's statement that he had not
\nreceived any request or notification about the planned
\nexamination, Marzuki charged: \"Juan Felix is lying!\"<\/p>\n
Marzuki asserted that deputy attorney general for corruption
\nChairul Imam had presented the lawyer with the notice. (prb\/byg)<\/p>",
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