Doctors check Soeharto's health

Doctors check Soeharto's health

JAKARTA: The state-appointed medical team resumed the health
examination of former president Soeharto on Friday to determine
whether or not the former ruler was fit enough to stand trial.

Head of the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office Poerwanto told
reporters on Friday that the team, led by Akmal Taher, had
carried out a neurological and psychiatric examination of the
former strongman.

"We will make public the results of the examination after we
have obtained approval from Soeharto's family," Poerwanto told
reporters.

The first examination was carried out last Tuesday, following
a report saying that Soeharto appeared to be good health while
attending his granddaughter's wedding party last month.

Soeharto has been charged with swindling US$571 million of
state funds. The case was dropped in September 2000 because he
failed to appear in the courtroom, allegedly due to ill-health,
his doctors declaring him to be mentally and physically unfit for
trial.

Soeharto, now 81, has suffered a number of strokes since
resigning in May 1998. --JP