Soeharto fit to face questioning<\/p>\n
By Budiman Moerdijat and Kornelius Purba<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A report from an independent medical examination
\nteam indicated that former president Soeharto is healthy enough
\nto face questioning for alleged corruption during his three-
\ndecade rule.<\/p>\n
A source close to the state-appointed medical team told The
\nJakarta Post on Wednesday that Soeharto was declared medically
\nfit after undergoing two examinations last week.<\/p>\n
But he would not say whether questioning the 78-year-old
\nformer ruler would be feasible since he has trouble speaking.<\/p>\n
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman when asked by the Post to
\nconfirm the report said that it was possible to assume Soeharto
\nwas fit to face questioning.<\/p>\n
"I have read the report and it is possible to conclude that
\nfrom the report of the RSCM medical team it is possible to hold
\nfurther questioning on Pak Harto," he said.<\/p>\n
"However this probably needs further clarification with the
\nRSCM team of doctors," he added.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office received the report from the
\nstate-appointed doctors on Wednesday. Earlier the six-member
\nmedical team was seen visiting President Abdurrahman Wahid at
\nBina Graha presidential office.<\/p>\n
Hours later in a media briefing Director of Corruption Affairs
\nChaerul Umam acknowledged that report had been received but
\nrefused to divulge whether it had given a green light for
\nprosecutors to start questioning Soeharto.<\/p>\n
"This evening the Attorney General's Office received a letter
\nfrom a team of doctors from Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital
\n(RSCM) ... but we still can't announce what steps need to be
\ntaken as we need to study the report," he told journalists after
\nabruptly taking over the media conference from Marzuki.<\/p>\n
Chaerul said the meeting to study the medical report would
\ntake place on Thursday.<\/p>\n
"Let us have the meeting first tomorrow. It will only take
\nseveral hours and after that we will report to Attorney General
\n(Marzuki Darusman). He will be the one to announce what steps
\nshould be taken," Chaerul said.<\/p>\n
He added that the medical team was also scheduled to attend
\nThursday's meeting "to explain to us the medical terms written in
\nthe report".<\/p>\n
"I do not know whether (the results) have been reported or not
\n(to the President). What is clear is that I have been at the
\noffice all day and I am not reporting (anything) to anyone,"
\nChaerul replied when asked if the President had received the
\nreport.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was examined by six doctors from RSCM twice last week
\nto determine whether he is fit to face questioning. The doctors
\nincluded an internist, a cardiologist, a neurologist and a
\npsychologist.<\/p>\n
The decision to conduct an independent medical examination on
\nSoeharto was taken after the former president's lawyers insisted
\nthat their client was medically unfit to undergo questioning.<\/p>\n
He was twice hospitalized last year, once for a mild stroke
\nand again for intestinal bleeding.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was named as a suspect for alleged corruption during
\nhis rule after Marzuki decided to reopen the case in December.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was summoned for questioning in February but failed
\nto appear for medical reasons.<\/p>\n
Initially Soeharto missed a scheduled medical examination at
\nRSCM. But a turnaround occurred after President Abdurrahman
\nvisited Soeharto at his residence on March 8.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for Soeharto's lawyers, Juan Felix Tampubolon, last
\nweek that his client would cooperate with the Attorney General's
\nOffice if the medical examination verified he was fit enough to
\ndo so.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-fit-to-face-questioning-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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