A $155 million question

The Attorney General's Office announcement on Wednesday that it had completed its investigation into former president Soeharto over allegations of massive corruption during his 32 years in office came not only as something of an anticlimax. It was a gross insult to people's intelligence and sense of justice.

The case, as submitted to the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office, was restricted to corruption allegedly made in Soeharto's capacity as chairman of several multibillion dollar charitable foundations. The gist of the prosecution, as read by Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, is that Soeharto abused his position as head of state by channeling funds to the foundations. The prosecutor's office will soon file the case with a court in Jakarta, accusing Soeharto of embezzling Rp 1.4 trillion, or approximately $155 million at this week's exchange rate.

Considering the severe damage inflicted upon this country through Soeharto's alleged abuse of power, of which corruption is only a small part, one cannot help but ask: Is that it?

The investigation has been dogged by controversy from the beginning. Marzuki won plaudits when, only weeks after his appointment, he reopened the Soeharto case in December after it was hastily concluded and dismissed by the previous administration of president B.J. Habibie. Then there were the endless legal tugs-of-war between government prosecutors and Soeharto's lawyers. First, over the legality of the investigation, and later over the deteriorating health of the 79- year-old former ruler. Soeharto has certainly managed to stall the investigation, and therefore a trial, for as long as he can.

Then, there was also the allegation, made by government officials, that the bloody sectarian conflict in Maluku was the work of Soeharto's supporters attempting to destabilize the government and, therefore, divert attention and resources away from the investigation. While the government has not come up with any evidence to prove its case, the accusation looked credible as violence erupted in Maluku each time the government clamped down on Soeharto in Jakarta.

After all the hassles it has gone through in the last seven months, the government has only managed to pin on Soeharto something as trivial as the money that went to the charitable foundations. This certainly falls far short of public expectation when evidence of corruption and other forms of alleged power abuse is there for anyone to see and feel.

The $155 million sum cited in the prosecution's dossier is only a fraction of what Soeharto and his children have amassed during his 32 years of misrule. Even with the revision of another $416 million figure added to the dossier, it would still not bring the sum anywhere near to the overall damage and the suffering that the tyrant has inflicted on the nation.

The combined assets of the foundations alone are worth much more than that. Then there are the business empires of his children. The foundations and empires grew in size solely because of Soeharto's position, through securing lucrative government contracts, monopolies and other business privileges.

Forbes, Time magazine and Australian-based scholar George Aditjondro have all estimated the net worth of the Soeharto clan -- including his foundations and their empires and their property abroad -- at anything between $15 billion and $45 billion.

Are we to believe now that all these corruption practices allegedly committed by Soeharto and his children will be reduced by the government to a mere $155 million court case?

Marzuki's announcement has only served to strengthen lingering suspicion that the government has been trying to cut a deal with Soeharto and his children which will see him get off lightly. There were other indications before now that smacked of conspiracy. There was the offer of a pardon by President Abdurrahman Wahid even before the investigation was completed, let alone a credible court trial. And there were the secret negotiations between the government and the Soeharto family for the return of some of the ill-gotten wealth. While these negotiations have become public knowledge, and have apparently broken down, the public has been kept in the dark about what exactly is being offered to the Soehartos in return.

The credibility of the Abdurrahman administration hinges on its ability to satisfactorily investigate Soeharto for his alleged abuse of power. A successful investigation is seen as part and parcel of the government's campaign to eradicate corruption and to restore the rule of law in this country. A failure would undoubtedly affect both campaigns.

Marzuki raised people's hopes when he reopened the case in December. But the final delivery now looks to become a major disappointment. For what it is worth, the issue will be a major blot on the annual progress report that President Abdurrahman will present to the People's Consultative Assembly next month.