Soeharto authorizes prosecutors' probe<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto went to the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office on Friday, \"not for investigation\" according to
\nthe government, but to submit draft letters granting permission
\nto open any bank accounts bearing his name both here and
\noverseas.<\/p>\n
Attorney General Andi Muhammad Ghalib told journalists that
\nthe former ruler came to submit two unsigned drafts of letters
\nauthorizing investigators to search for wealth which he has
\nallegedly squirreled away overseas.<\/p>\n
\"The first document was a draft letter authorizing the
\nAttorney General to transfer funds held abroad, if they do exist,
\nto the Indonesian government,\" said Ghalib, who has been
\nentrusted with leading the investigation into Soeharto's personal
\nwealth.<\/p>\n
\"The second document was a draft letter authorizing those
\nparticular banks to reveal details of Soeharto's accounts,\"
\nGhalib told a packed media conference after meeting Soeharto for
\n35 minutes at his office in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The country's former strongman leader arrived in a dark blue
\nMercedes jeep followed by another Mercedes jeep packed with his
\nbatik-clad bodyguards. Soeharto sat in the front passenger seat
\nwearing a blue batik shirt and a traditional black cap.<\/p>\n
Upon his arrival, he was immediately escorted to Ghalib's
\nchamber on the second floor of the main building.<\/p>\n
When he left, Soeharto, who was last year made an honorary
\nfive-star general, was seen smiling and waving to dozens of
\nreporters and photographers who had been waiting at the office
\nsince morning.<\/p>\n
He did not make any comment.<\/p>\n
A number of photographers were seen chasing after Soeharto's
\ncar to take his picture. He was driven back to his home on Jl.
\nCendana in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Ghalib said that during a previous meeting on Monday, Soeharto
\nhad expressed his willingness to come in person to the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office to submit the required documents.<\/p>\n
Ghalib said earlier this week that his visit to Soeharto's
\nresidence on Monday was only to get \"detailed clarification\" of a
\ntelevised statement made by the former president on Sept. 6. In
\nthe statement, Soeharto claimed not even to have one cent of
\nsavings abroad.<\/p>\n
Ghalib said on Friday that Soeharto was accompanied by his
\nlawyer Syamsul Hadi.<\/p>\n
He also said that two teams have been established to locate
\nany money Soeharto might have stashed overseas and to identify
\nassets that were possibly obtained by corrupt means.<\/p>\n
He said the teams are respectively chaired by Deputy Attorney
\nGeneral for Civil and State Administrative Soehandjono and Deputy
\nAttorney General for Special Crimes Anton Sujata.<\/p>\n
Suspect<\/p>\n
Ghalib reiterated that Soeharto has not been named as suspect
\nin a corruption investigation.<\/p>\n
\"Up to now, we have no evidence or data which points to
\nSoeharto as a suspect. People should wait patiently for the
\nresults (of the whole investigation),\" he said, adding that it
\nhad taken years for the Philippines to recover money taken by
\nformer dictator Ferdinand Marcos.<\/p>\n
Ghalib did not rule out the possibility of extending the
\ninvestigation to include Soeharto's six children, who are also
\ncurrently surrounded by allegations of corruption.<\/p>\n
\"If we find leads which point to his children, we will pursue
\nthe investigation (in that direction),\" Ghalib said.<\/p>\n
Ghalib said he also planned to question those who have
\npublicly alleged Soeharto has stashed money overseas.<\/p>\n
\"We will seek information from Amien Rais, Christianto
\nWibisono, Albert Hasibuan and whoever else (who have spoken about
\nhaving data on Soeharto's wealth),\" Ghalib said, referring to the
\nleader of the National Mandate Party and two members of the
\nMovement of Concerned Citizens on State Assets (Gempita).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Minister\/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung told
\nreporters at the Bina Graha presidential office that Soeharto
\nwould have to file a report on his personal wealth, which all
\ncabinet ministers must complete by law.<\/p>\n
Ghalib, however, said that Soeharto has filed the report,
\nadding that it would soon be submitted to President B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
Forbes magazine estimated in July that Soeharto's wealth was
\nworth US$4 billion. Legal experts have said that although the
\namount may be even more than that, decrees introduced by Soeharto
\nduring his 32 year rule may make it difficult to prove the money
\nwas acquired illegally. (byg\/imn\/prb)<\/p>",
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