Soeharto to be put in 'secure location'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office announced on
\nMonday that it would move former president Soeharto to a
\n\"secure\", state-protected location to facilitate further
\ninvestigations and other safety reasons.<\/p>\n
The decision came after prosecutors cut short their fourth
\nquestioning of Soeharto earlier in the day at his residence, due
\nto a sudden increase in his blood pressure.<\/p>\n
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said the decision to move
\nSoeharto was prompted by escalating public pressure, sometimes
\nbordering on lawlessness, demanding swift action against the
\nformer president.<\/p>\n
\"Given the situation, we have asked the police to remove
\nSoeharto from his residence on Jl. Cendana and to put him in a
\nstate installation or a state house where he will be
\nautomatically protected by the state,\" he told journalists.<\/p>\n
\"We want to avoid any possible potential conflict between
\nstudents and security officers which could cause an unnecessary
\nloss to both parties,\" he added.<\/p>\n
He revealed that the government had discovered the presence of
\nunidentified groups protecting Soeharto and his family all this
\ntime, which were not official security units authorized to do so.<\/p>\n
\"These groups are the source triggering the conflict between
\nstudents and security officers,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
Marzuki would not detail when Soeharto would be moved or to
\nwhich location, saying only that it would be somewhere in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"I will discuss the technical matters of this policy with
\nNational Police chief Lt. Gen. Rusdihardjo tonight. The results
\nwill be made public later,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Soeharto, who is currently under city arrest, is suspected of
\nabusing his power as president to issue regulations and decrees
\nto amass funds for foundations he chaired. Marzuki has said the
\ndossiers for the investigation would be ready by Aug. 10.<\/p>\n
But there has been increasing public clamor, particularly
\nthrough student demonstrations, that swifter action be taken.<\/p>\n
It is these demonstrations that Marzuki feared would lead to a
\nviolent confrontation with security forces.<\/p>\n
However, Marzuki also noted on Monday that moving Soeharto to
\na state-controlled location could also remove any impediments to
\ninvestigations against Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"The Attorney General's Office submitted this move to the
\nPresident and the National Police chief to ensure that the
\ninvestigations were not slowed down,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
The move could be a severe blow to 78-year-old Soeharto, who
\nlived at his current residence throughout his 32 years as
\npresident.<\/p>\n
Pressure<\/p>\n
Investigations into the case in the past few months have been
\nhampered by Soeharto's medical condition, as his personal
\nphysicians initially said he was not healthy enough to face
\nquestioning.<\/p>\n
But after several checkups by an independent health team, the
\nquestioning resumed.<\/p>\n
On Monday, prosecutors were halted in the middle of
\nquestioning when the independent medical team from Cipto
\nMangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) suddenly noticed Soeharto's
\nblood pressure rising.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for the Attorney General's Office Yushar Yahya said
\nthat before being stopped, Soeharto was able to answer 11 of 20
\nquestions posed during the two-and-a-half-hour session.<\/p>\n
\"The questions were still about the charity foundations, but
\nthey touched on the substance of the allegations,\" he told
\njournalists.<\/p>\n
According to Yushar, among the questions posed were if
\nSoeharto had obtained permission or consulted with the minister
\nof social affairs before establishing the foundations or the use
\nof the foundations' funds.<\/p>\n
\"He was also asked whether it was true or not that he had
\ninstructed the then minister of finance to issue ministerial
\nruling No.333\/1996 which obliged state banks to donate 5 percent
\nof their net profit to some foundations,\" Yushar said.<\/p>\n
\"But Soeharto gave an unsatisfactory reply, saying that he
\ndidn't remember clearly,\" he added. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-to-be-put-in-secure-location-1447893297",
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