AGO told to investigate Soeharto

AGO told to investigate Soeharto

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives urged the Attorney General's Office
on Monday to resume the probe into alleged corruption by former
president Soeharto which was halted due to the poor health of the
former dictator.

"I wonder why the Attorney General's Office is reluctant to
resume the investigation? He (Soeharto) is said to be sick but he
has often been spotted in Nusakambangan. Don't you have the
initiative to investigate him?," said House Commission II member
J.E. Sahetapy of the Indonesia Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan).

The law professor was referring to the island that houses a
maximum security prison where Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo
"Tommy" Mandala Putra is serving a 15-year sentence for the
murder of a Supreme Court judge.

Fellow PDI Perjuangan legislators Yunus Lamuda, Firman Jaya
Daeli and Tunggul L. Tobing and National Mandate Party (PAN)
lawmaker Patrialis Akbar said they suspected that the Office was
just waiting for Soeharto, 84, to pass away so that it could drop
the case against the former strongman.

Attorney General M.A. Rachman issued a ruling in 2001 citing
health reasons for halting indefinitely the corruption
investigation against Soeharto, who was forced to resign in 1998
after more than 32 years in office.

"According to Soeharto's medical report, his physical
condition is good but he suffers permanent nerve damage," replied
Rachman, who had been reported to the police by the Public
Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) for allegedly
concealing his wealth.

The legislators' demand for the Attorney General's Office to
resume Soeharto's corruption investigation came just days after
Army Gen. (ret) Raden Hartono met Soeharto on Nov. 24 to ask his
approval for nominating Siti Hardiyanti "Tutut" Rukmana as the
party's presidential candidate in the 2004 elections. Tutut is
the eldest daughter of Soeharto.

"Think about it first," Soeharto was quoted as saying by
Hartono, who is also chairman of Concern for the Nation
Functional Party (PKPB), one of 24 political parties eligible to
contest in the 2004 elections.

Hartono also revealed that it was Soeharto who ordered him in
1999 to set up PKPB, dubbed the new Golkar as its supporters are
mostly former Golkar members. The word karya, which literally
means working, of PKPB was given by Soeharto, said Hartono.

Soeharto used Golkar, an acronym of Golongan Karya (working or
functional group), as his political vehicle during the 32 years
of his authoritarian administration.

The South Jakarta District Court ruled in September 2000 that
Soeharto was "mentally and physically unfit" to stand trial and
retracted his city arrest status.

Prior to the ruling he was absent from his trial twice. His
lawyers said that their client, who had suffered three strokes,
would not be able to face trial due to his ailing health.

Soeharto was accused of stealing US$571 million from the state
by funneling money from seven charitable foundations he chaired
into businesses belonging to his family members and cronies.

Prosecutors later lodged an appeal with the High Court, which
ruled that prosecutors must present Soeharto in court if he was
fit, with the approval of an independent team of doctors.

The Attorney General's Office remained unaware of Soeharto's
condition until 2002, when a reporter managed to sneak into his
granddaughter's wedding ceremony. The journalist reported that
Soeharto was able to stand up and welcome guests.

Prosecutors later set up a team of doctors from Cipto
Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) to examine him. The doctors
later declared that Soeharto suffered from aphasia, a condition
which reduces his ability to communicate with others.

Soeharto has been spotted several times in Nusakambangan,
Central Java visiting Tommy, but the Office insisted that
Soeharto was too ill to stand trial.