Decision on Soeharto to take 'another week'

JAKARTA (JP): The government said it needed another week to verify evidence of alleged corruption before it can determine the legal status of former president Soeharto.

"How far our investigation has gone, or whether or not he (Soeharto) will be named a suspect later... we have not come that far as more evidence still needs to be checked," Minister of Justice Muladi said here after a two-hour meeting with acting Attorney General Ismudjoko and Coordinating Minister for Development Supervision and State Administrative Reforms Hartarto Sastrosoenarto

Wednesday's meeting was earlier expected to compare notes of two separate investigations carried out by Hartarto's and Ismudjoko's offices.

It was also expected to complete a report for President B.J. Habibie to allow him to make a final decision.

But once again it was delayed, fueling further criticisms of the government's recalcitrance concerning the high-profile case.

"In our meeting (today), we talked about the government's efforts to eradicate corruption, collusion and nepotism in general and specifically about HMS (a popular acronym for Haji Muhammad Soeharto), his family and cronies," Muladi said of the meeting.

"However, these subjects could not be thoroughly discussed in our meeting. So we haven't reached the point of naming his legal status. More accurate evidence is needed to reach that stage," he added.

The government has been under tremendous public pressure to bring the 78-year-old former president to justice for corruption during his 32 years in power.

Habibie has promised that his government would conduct a thorough investigation of the matter.

Nevertheless, since Soeharto stepped down on May 21, 1998, there has been little visible progress.

On Aug. 19, less than a week after Soeharto was rushed for treatment at Pertamina Hospital, the government suggested that the investigation of Soeharto might be suspended due to a lack of evidence.

According to Muladi, another meeting between the three officials will be held on Tuesday night before they meet Habibie to present a report at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

"Whatever decision is made by the president is tentative," Muladi said, without elaborating.

The probe into allegations of corruption against Soeharto was first initiated in June last year and was reinforced by a decree of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in November.

When pressed on the likelihood that the investigation could be completed before the next General Session of the Assembly in a month's time, Muladi retorted by calling on the public not to make hasty judgments based on unclear assumptions.

Separately, when asked to comment on Wednesday's meeting, acting Attorney General Ismudjoko replied: "Soeharto is my business. I'll report it (progress of his office's investigation) to Habibie in a Cabinet meeting next week." (emf)