Government to announce decision on Soeharto case next month

Government to announce decision on Soeharto case next month

JAKARTA (JP): The government will announce the results of an
initial investigation into former president Soeharto in the first
week of September, Minister of Justice Muladi said on Friday.

"I said it will be completed in the first week of
September... meaning that there will be an explanation with
regards to the legal aspect and the extent of violations," Muladi
told reporters at the House of Representatives. Muladi had
earlier this week said President B.J. Habibie was to make the
announcement on Thursday.

Muladi was also quoted by Antara as saying that the September
announcement would be made by the offices of the attorney general
and the coordinating minister for development and administrative
reforms, rather than the President.

"The decision will be made based on legal procedures.
President B.J. Habibie will only announce the final decision," he
said.

"The attorney general will report the decision in a Cabinet
meeting and the head of state will announce it after the decision
has been deliberated upon in the meeting," he said.

Muladi said the Attorney General's Office will handle the
civil and criminal cases while the office of the coordinating
minister for development will look into questionable presidential
decrees and other regulations made during the Soeharto
administration.

"It is not President B.J. Habibie who will make the final
decision on the investigation. He will only announce it as part
of his responsibility," Muladi said.

Law experts are also involved in the investigation, he said,
and their recommendations will constitute the final decision.

Muladi added the decision will state whether or not Soeharto
is going to be declared a suspect in a corruption case.

The final decision will not be a political ploy, he promised.

"The case will be settled thoroughly before the General
Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)," said
Muladi.

Soeharto, forced from office in May last year amid economic
and social chaos, has been accused of corruptly amassing a
fortune during his 32-year rule. He has consistently denied any
wrongdoing.

Investigators have been accused of dragging their feet over
the issue and opposition figures have expressed skepticism over
the government's commitment to bringing Soeharto to account for
his past misdeeds.

Soeharto suffered a stroke in July and was again admitted to
hospital early in August for intestinal bleeding. He was
discharged last week. Doctors said he was on the mend.

Earlier, the state forestry firm Perhutani said it wanted the
government to cancel eight land deals with companies linked to
the family and cronies of Soeharto. Perhutani president A. Fattah
said his firm was "either in the process of canceling or seeking
to cancel" deals involving eight firms, including two owned by
Soeharto's second eldest son and a son-in-law.

The deals, involving the move out of state hands of 11,481
hectares (28,358 acres) of forestry for commercial purposes, were
"certainly obtained through nepotistic practices," alleged
Fattah. (swe)