Government may suspend investigation into Soeharto's wealth

JAKARTA (JP): The government suggested on Wednesday the investigation into the alleged corruption of ailing former president Soeharto would be suspended due to lack of evidence.

"We are going to look at it until the end, but if the evidence for a trial is incomplete, (the investigation) will not be pushed (by making Soeharto a suspect); we have to respect (his) human rights and the principle of presumption of innocence," Minister of Justice Muladi said.

He made the comments after meeting on Wednesday with acting Attorney General Ismudjoko and Coordinating Minister for Development Supervision and State Administrative Reforms Hartarto Sastrosoenarto at the latter's office.

Muladi said earlier that the meeting was aimed at "analyzing" the investigation, which was first initiated in June last year and was reinforced by a decree of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in November.

"There must be a legal certainty for Soeharto and his family whether the investigation could be stepped up or not; (his legal status) must be clear, especially in regard to Soeharto's health condition," Muladi said.

Soeharto was rushed on Saturday to Pertamina Hospital with intestinal bleeding, less than a month after hospitalization for a mild stroke.

Muladi said the evaluation was scheduled to be completed within a week, and that the report would be presented to President B.J. Habibie.

"The President will then make a decision, and the decision will underpin his accountability speech (in the next general session of the MPR)."

Muladi's remarks followed comments made by Habibie in his state of the nation address on Monday that in eradicating corruption, the government could not rush the process, "especially if the evidence for a trial is incomplete and unconvincing".

The government has been under mounting pressure to speed up the probe by making Soeharto a suspect, not only a witness, in the alleged corruption.

However, the Attorney General's Office, which is leading the investigation, said it did not have sufficient evidence to name Soeharto as a suspect.

Earlier this year, Soeharto's lawyers filed legal papers with the Attorney General's Office demanding that the inquiry into the former strongman be stopped.

The United States-based Time magazine disclosed in May that the former president and his children amassed a US$15 billion fortune during his rule.

Soeharto, however, has consistently denied amassing a fortune during his 32 years in power. (byg)