Ghalib ignores impending sale of Soehartos' homes

Ghalib ignores impending sale of Soehartos' homes

JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib played down on
Wednesday media reports on the planned sales of three luxurious
mansions in London owned by relatives of Soeharto, saying it was
irrelevant to the government's investigation into the wealth of
the former president.

"We are only searching for assets owned by Soeharto," Ghalib
said before attending a Cabinet meeting on people's welfare and
poverty eradication at the Bina Graha presidential office.

The Independent, a London daily, reported on Tuesday that
Soeharto's family members were putting the properties up for sale
for a combined total of more than 11 million (US$17.6 million).

The newspaper linked the sales with the Indonesian
government's probe into Soeharto's alleged rampant corruption and
the British government's refusal to grant visas to some members
of the former first family, including his son-in-law Lt. Gen.
(ret) Prabowo Subianto.

One of the houses, in Winnington Road, Hampstead Garden, in
northern London, is offered for 8 million, 1.5 million lower
than market price. Another house, provided for the family
servants and friends, is on the market at 1.95 million. The
third property, in Putney, reportedly owned by Soeharto's half
brother, Probosutedjo, is on sale for 1.4 million.

Ghalib, under fire for his office's sluggish investigation
into Soeharto, said he was doubtful about the validity of the
report.

"It is a one-sided story. It is not confirmed yet. The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reported that he (Soeharto) did
not have any wealth there," Ghalib said.

Ghalib announced last month that his office, in cooperation
with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "has discovered that
Soeharto has no wealth abroad either in the form of bank
accounts, deposits, land or houses".

A spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, Soehandoyo,
insisted that the Indonesian Embassy in Britain had failed to
find any information on the money reportedly kept in Indonesian
banks in London under the names of Soeharto and his family
members. Similar investigations were also conducted in 16
countries including Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, France,
the U.S. and Belgium.

A scholar and staunch critic of Soeharto, George Junus
Aditjondro, said in September that three of Soeharto's children
-- Sigit Hardjojudanto, Siti Hardijanti Rukmana and Siti Hediyati
Prabowo -- and Probosutedjo, had five houses in London.

George, currently living in Australia, has published a book
concerning Soeharto and his children's wealth.

"I stick to the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It is an official report," Ghalib insisted.

He said he had asked the ministry to examine the accuracy of
the British newspaper's report.

"It is just a newspaper report. It must be checked first," he
said.

Separately, Golkar deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman suggested
that the present government should not to force itself to
continue its probe into Soeharto's alleged illegal wealth, saying
that it was beyond its capacity due to the complicated nature of
the case.

"There are more important things to do than investigate
Soeharto. Let's give the job to the next government," he said.
(prb)

Editorial -- Page 4