Bring Soeharto to court pronto

Bring Soeharto to court pronto

From Rakyat Merdeka

I love Indonesia's first president, the late Sukarno (Bung Karno), and highly appreciate his merits in the fight for Indonesia's independence. I feel enduring sadness and disappointment over his fate following his downfall until his death.

Moreover, there was no opportunity to pay him a visit, including during his illness, because of the tight security at the time, both at the hospital and at Dewi Sukarno's residence.

I have kept my photographs of Bung Karno, although when Soeharto came to power many people threw away their photographs of Bung Karno.

We Indonesians cannot easily forget the close watch surrounding Bung Karno when he was ill.

Now Indonesia's second president, Soeharto, is also ill. However, he has an easy and comfortable life at his Cendana residence with his greedy children.

Considering the cruelties committed by Soeharto on Bung Karno as the nation's father, in my opinion Attorney General Marzuki Darusman must be courageous in bringing Soeharto to court. He should not stop in mid-stride. Old age or other reasons should not allow Soeharto to escape from legal prosecution. His greed, which caused the suffering of the Indonesian people burdened with foreign debts, will be hard to repay for generations to come.

Marzuki Darusman must quickly bring Soeharto to court before the people are angered and take to the streets again in protest at the Attorney General's Office. It is not about Soeharto only. His children and relatives, who have enriched themselves by manipulative deeds, must also be brought to court.

I appeal to Juan Felix Tampubolon to withdraw as Soeharto's lawyer because there are still many ways to gain a living. I am now 76. I am not a university graduate, yet I can live adequately.

H.G. MALIKMASS

Ciputat, West Java