Government may recruit private investigators

Government may recruit private investigators

JAKARTA (JP): The government will likely recruit professional
detectives to trace the Soehartos' alleged fortune overseas, a
minister said.

Minister of Justice Muladi told Antara on Tuesday that
Coordinating Minister for Development Supervision and
Administrative Reform Hartarto and the Military Police Corps were
still choosing from 10 private detective companies, several in
the United States, to handle the case.

"The government will determine which one of the 10 companies
has the best track record and the selected one will be announced
this week. It is of most importance that the government is
committed to uncovering the money laundering. The selected
company is expected to be able to carry out its mission in
tracing Soeharto's family's alleged fortune," Muladi said after
meeting with UN special envoy on East Timor, Jamsheed Marker.

Muladi also said the government would call on the Swiss and
Austrian governments, through its envoys, to respond to
Indonesia's request for help in tracing the Soehartos' alleged
fortune, which news magazine Time reported to reach US$15
billion.

According to the weekly, that included $9 billion transferred
into banks in the two countries.

Soeharto's lawyers have said they were considering to sue the
magazine for reporting what they said was mostly false
information.

On Tuesday legal experts said students could return to massive
demonstrations if the government under President B.J. Habibie
continued to stall on investigating allegations of corruption by
top officials including by Soeharto.

At stake is the government's credibility and reputation,
Bambang Widjojanto, chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid
Foundation, and Hendardi who chairs the Indonesia Legal Aid and
Human Rights Association, said.(rms)