'Soeharto's wealth could be traced'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Legal experts have stressed that only the police
\nand the Attorney General's Office have the authority to
\ninvestigate the wealth of former president Soeharto and his
\nfamily, which many believe to have been amassed through abuses of
\npower.<\/p>\n
Yusril Ihza Mahendra, a professor of law at the Jakarta-based
\nUniversity of Indonesia, and Solly Lubis of North Sumatra
\nUniversity in Medan, said separately that unless handled well,
\nthe matter could tarnish Indonesia's international image.<\/p>\n
Yusril, however, stressed that any investigation into
\nSoeharto's wealth should be done \"humanely\" and in accordance
\nwith the law.<\/p>\n
\"I am of the opinion that the investigation should be carried
\nout in accordance with due legal procedures. It should not be
\ndone in inhumane ways,\" he said in a dialog with students in
\nJambi yesterday. He did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
Contrary to some people's opinions, he said, the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) did not have the authority to
\ninvestigate the wealth of Soeharto, his children and
\ngrandchildren, which some estimate at about US$40 billion.<\/p>\n
The tasks of the Assembly were to establish the state policy
\nguidelines and to appoint and dismiss a president, Yusril said.<\/p>\n
Soeharto did not give an account of his leadership to the
\nAssembly following his resignation, but it did not mean he was
\nexempted from a possible investigation into his and his family's
\nwealth, said Yusril, who accompanied Soeharto in his last-ditch
\neffort to save his presidency by drafting a committee for reform.<\/p>\n
Only hours after the committee members were chosen, Soeharto
\ndecided he would resign because some of his ministers as well as
\nthe Armed Forces told him they no longer supported him.<\/p>\n
\"The issue (of Soeharto's wealth) could tarnish the image of
\nthe police and the Attorney General's Office if the two fail to
\ninvestigate it,\" he was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Yusril, who denied he was part of Soeharto's regime, said it
\nwas only the courts which had the competence to decide whether it
\nwas necessary to investigate Soeharto's wealth or not. \"Let's
\nawait a court's verdict on the issue,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Solly said Indonesia's image would be ruined if people just
\n\"robbed\" Soeharto of his wealth without following legal
\nprocedures.<\/p>\n
\"It'd better for Soeharto and his family to voluntarily have
\ntheir wealth audited and investigated,\" he said. \"If they are
\nfound guilty... they could be jailed or made to pay fines, or
\ntheir wealth could be seized by the state.\"<\/p>\n
A similar call was made yesterday by the Association of
\nMuhammadiyah Students, which said any investigation must be made
\nwhile maintaining the principle of presumption of innocence.<\/p>\n
Probosutedjo, Soeharto's half-brother, said recently that
\nSoeharto and his family were ready to have their wealth audited
\nin accordance with legal procedures.<\/p>\n
Some public leaders, such as Amien Rais and Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, have asked for compassion for Soeharto. Amien,
\nhowever, insisted that the Soehartos' wealth should be retrieved
\nand returned to the nation.<\/p>\n
Lubis said it would be possible for the people to pardon
\nSoeharto \"in a political manner\" by having the People's
\nConsultative Assembly formally forgive him in a special session.<\/p>\n
\"This is so the nation can understand why it should forgive
\nhim,\" Lubis said.<\/p>\n
Many groups of workers and students have demanded the MPR hold
\na special session to ask for Soeharto's accountability, including
\nan explanation of his wealth. (rms)<\/p>",
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