Doctors detect possible tumor behind Tommy's eye

Doctors detect possible tumor behind Tommy's eye

Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A team of 10 doctors at Gatot Subroto Army Hospital detected a
possible tumor behind convicted felon Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala
Putra's left eye and a stomach ulcer, but said that the youngest
son of former president Soeharto was in "pretty good condition",
and able to do normal activities.

"He can still walk, talk and meet visitors," Dr. Mochtar Al
Munawar, head of the hospital's medical committee, announced at a
press conference on Friday.

Since his arrival at the hospital's lavish Kartika Pavillion
in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, Tommy has been busy receiving
guests. He booked four VIP rooms in a separate wing of the
hospital for his medical checkup. The rooms are being guarded by
police officers and several well-built men.

Among Tommy's visitors were his father Soeharto, sisters Siti
"Tutut" Hardiyanti Rukmana and Siti "Mamiek" Hutami Endang
Adiningsih and nephew Ari Sigit. Visiting friends include actress
Yenny Rachman, rally driver Tinton Suprapto and motorcycle racer
Robby Sumampouw.

As explained by neurosurgeon Dr. Djoko Riadi, a preliminary
diagnosis through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) found "a mass
behind the patient's left eye near the brain", which could
possibly be a tumor that probably caused Tommy's complaints of
vertigo.

An ulcer, that probably caused Tommy's other complaints of
chest pains and digestion problems, was also found in the
patient's stomach, said internist Dr. Untung Sudomo, after he
conducted an endoscopic examination on Tommy.

It was still unsure when Tommy would be able to return to Batu
Penitentiary in Nusakambangan island, Central Java, as head of
the hospital Dr. Mardjo said that it would probably take until
Monday to make a full diagnosis of what was causing Tommy's
confirmed cocktail of health complaints, which include "insomnia
and depression".

"More time could be needed if the preliminary diagnosis of a
tumor is confirmed and if Tommy requires further treatment," he
said, adding that there would be no reason for Tommy to seek
treatment abroad as the hospital was equipped to treat him.

Officials of the penitentiary -- where Tommy is currently
serving his 15-year sentence for illegal arms possession and
masterminding the murder of Supreme Court Justice M. Syafiuddin
Kartasasmita -- had given Tommy only four days for his medical
checkup at the hospital, from Jan. 9 to Jan. 12.

Besides delaying his return to the penitentiary, Tommy, due to
the prolonged treatment, could possibly cancel yet again his
expected appearance in court on Monday to give testimony in the
Rp 15 billion (US$1.78 million) extortion case that he had filed
against leader of an Islamic Boarding School, Abdullah Sidiq
Muin, and Raden Dodi Sumardi, who is still at large.

"He is only a witness in the case anyway, while there is also
fear that his condition may worsen if he appears in court,"
Tommy's lawyer, Elza Syarief, said lightly, somehow forgetting
that Tommy's absence on seven occasions -- the latest being in
last Tuesday's hearing -- had seriously disrupted the trial.