A $155 million question

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.