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.