'No limit' set for Soeharto's medical costs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Prosecutor Muchtar Arifin said on Friday that
\nthe state is not limiting the funds earmarked for former
\npresident Soeharto's medical treatment, while the state-appointed
\nteam of physicians has calculated that it would cost some Rp 100
\nmillion (US$10,000) per month.<\/p>\n
\"There is yet to be a limit set for the expenses...the
\nimportant thing is (how) to make Soeharto fit enough to stand
\ntrial,\" he told journalists at the Attorney General's Office
\ncompound.<\/p>\n
\"But it should be carried out efficiently and effectively
\nbecause we will be responsible for all the expenses, which will
\nalso be audited by the Supreme Audit Agency,\" he quickly added.<\/p>\n
He said, however, that the government might not actually spend
\nRp 100 million per month, as some particular medical procedures
\nwould no longer be used in the future.<\/p>\n
Muchtar explained that the expense of Rp 100 million is for
\nmedical equipment, medicine and other medical measures taken by
\nthe 23 members of the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) team.<\/p>\n
\"This does not include the doctors' fees,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The team of doctors are giving neurological treatment for the
\nailing 79-year-old former ruler, who suffered three strokes after
\nresigning as President in the middle of 1998.<\/p>\n
They will start psychiatric treatment next month.<\/p>\n
Last year, a district court dropped the case against Soeharto,
\na suspect in a US$571 million graft case, since he failed to
\nattend trial due to ill-health.<\/p>\n
Earlier last month, the Supreme Court ordered the prosecutors
\nto put Soeharto's medical treatment under the state's supervision
\nand expenses.<\/p>\n
Muchtar said that the prosecutors and the RSCM doctors would
\nhold a meeting on Monday to further discuss the expenses and on
\nMarch 29 to discuss Soeharto's latest health condition during a
\nmonth of treatment.<\/p>\n
On Friday, state prosecutors questioned businessman Praptono
\nH. Upojo, president of oil company PT Ustraindo Petro Gas (PT
\nUPG), as a suspect in the markup of government projects with the
\nstate oil and gas company Pertamina.<\/p>\n
Praptono told journalists after being grilled for more than
\nfive hours that instead of having caused losses to the state, his
\ncompany had given benefit to Pertamina because it was PT UPG
\nwhich bore all the production costs.<\/p>\n
State prosecutors have also named former ministers of mines
\nand energy Ginandjar Kartasasmita and his successor Ida Bagus
\nSudjana and former Pertamina president Faisal Abda'oe as suspects
\nin the case for awarding the project to PT UPG to provide
\nallegedly unnecessary technical assistance to the still-
\nproductive oil fields.<\/p>\n
Sudjana testified that the project had been halted due to PT
\nUPG's bad performance which had inflicted losses to the state.<\/p>\n
Praptono, who admitted being close to the former Soeharto
\nfirst family, said that his company had been promised $230
\nmillion foreign loans from a business partner but the investor
\nlater broke the promise.<\/p>\n
\"Our failure to carry out the projects was mainly caused by
\nour partner's failure to fulfill all the financial commitments as
\npromised,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Also on Friday, the prosecutors examined Rossano Barrack,
\npresident of PT Triharsa Bimanusa Tunggal, a company belonging to
\nSoeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti \"Tutut\" Rukmana, for
\nhis part in an alleged mark-up of the construction of oil
\npipelines in Java. (bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-limit-set-for-soehartos-medical-costs-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}