Former president Soeharto leaves hospital for home

JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto left the privately-run Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta on Friday morning after three days of treatment for a heart ailment.

Pertamina cardiologist Juniarti Hatta said Soeharto was in a stable condition. There were no complications from the minor surgery he had undergone to install a permanent pacemaker to normalize his uneven heartbeat, she said.

"His condition has returned to normal. The wound from the surgery has recovered. But he has to return in the next six months for a checkup," she told a joint media conference at the hospital, an hour after Soeharto had left.

Head of the state-appointed medical team that treats Soeharto, Ichramsjah A. Rahman, added that Soeharto had been allowed to rest at home because the cardiac pacemaker had adapted well to his body.

The device, which is as light as a medium-sized battery, is reportedly worth Rp 30 million and can last for ten to 15 years.

It was set to regulate Soeharto's heartbeat to the normal 70 beats per minute, replacing the external, temporary one which was attached soon after he had been rushed in on Tuesday, suffering from a low heartbeat and falling blood pressure.

However, Juniarti said, the device could be affected by emotional strain or a strong magnetic field. "I suggest that he rest and relax."

Soeharto, who celebrated his 80th birthday on June 8, was wheeled out of the hospital by some of his children at around 9:30 a.m. He smiled and waved to journalists but did not give any other response.

He was taken home to his residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta, in a minivan driven by his eldest son Sigit Harjojudanto, as part of a motorcade.

His youngest son, Hutomo Mandala Putra, alias Tommy, is still at large after being sentenced by the Supreme Court to 18 months imprisonment for a land scam.

The ailing former ruler, who was in power for 32 years before he resigned in 1998, has so far escaped prosecution over allegations of massive corruption.

The Supreme Court ordered the government to form a special medical team to observe and treat Soeharto, to ensure that the suspect was fit enough to be brought to trial.

Also attending the media conference, state prosecutor Mochtar Arifin said the medical team had yet to give its latest report on Soeharto's condition.

Ichramsjah added that the team still needed more time to monitor Soeharto's heart condition.

"Soeharto does not only have a heart problem, but also suffers from other complications, such as diabetes, kidney problems and the aftermath of stroke. It would be impossible to open the trial in the near future," he said.(bby)