Calls mount for serious investigation of Soeharto
Calls mount for serious investigation of Soeharto
JAKARTA (JP): Students protested on Wednesday's President B.J.
Habibie's administration for "lacking the guts" to probe
Soeharto's wealth, while, separately, rights activists also
demanded an investigation into the former president's cronies.
A poll also issued on Wednesday revealed that the majority of
respondents did not believe Soeharto's recent assertion on
television that he did not have a fortune stashed in overseas
banks.
The mounting calls as no news was forthcoming from the office
of Attorney General Andi Muhammad Ghalib -- entrusted with
leading the government investigation team -- about whether the
probe into Soeharto's personal wealth, which was allegedly
amassed illegally during his 32 years in power, would begin soon.
Rights activist Marzuki Darusman called on the investigators
to give their best effort and not to lose hope despite
suggestions by many that the probe would meet a dead end because
it concerned powerful people.
"They must go through all the necessary steps and should only
quit when they find it impossible to continue," said Marzuki, who
is the deputy chairman of the National Commission on Human
Rights.
Hendardi of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights
Association (PBHI), suggested that the team start with all
presidential and government decrees issued during Soeharto's
regime which smacked of corruption and collusion.
"Also, it should check all projects which were run without a
proper tender system, and all company shares owned by government
officials," he said in a media statement.
"If the team failed, it should be dissolved," he said.
In the Central Java capital of Semarang, 100 university
students staged a demonstration in front of the provincial
legislative council on the same issue.
"Investigate all Soeharto's wealth, including the assets of
his family and cronies, the amount of which may be enough to
purchase basic commodities badly needed by the people," the
students demanded.
"President B.J. Habibie should resign if he fails or lacks the
courage to continue the investigation," they said.
A poll co-organized by the University of Indonesia's
Laboratory for Political Sciences and Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicated
Inc., suggested that Soeharto should be held accountable for all
his mismanagement in the past.
"Ninety-five percent of our respondents suggested that
Soeharto must be responsible for all his mismanagement, while
only 3.2 percent suggested otherwise," Valina Singka Subekti,
coordinator of the poll, told a media conference.
She said 74.6 percent of the 2,000 people questioned said they
did not believe Soeharto's recent televised statement that he had
no accounts or deposits abroad.
Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung dismissed the
allegations that the government was not serious in its
investigation into Soeharto's wealth.
He said the government was at the moment treating Soeharto on
the principle of presumption of innocence.
He said Soeharto had "filled in a form" about his wealth.
"Anytime we find there is a problem, we'll cross-check it
(with Soeharto)," he said.
Akbar cited as evidence the recent revocation of three
presidential decrees, issued by Soeharto, which "contained
elements of collusion and nepotism."
He was referring to Habibie's move to revoke the 1995 and 1996
presidential decrees on the 2 percent "contribution" on companies
earning more than Rp 100 million (US$9,100) annually.
The contributions were "channeled" to the charitable Dana
Sejahtera Mandiri (YDSM) foundation chaired by Soeharto.
On July 16, Habibie issued Presidential Instruction No.
20/1998 ordering ministers, governors, regents and mayors across
Indonesia to stop extorting civil servants' "contributions" to
the same foundation, Akbar said. (har/aan/imn)