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)