Govt finds more evidence of Soeharto's wealth
JAKARTA (JP): The Jambi office of the National Land Agency has uncovered evidence of former president Soeharto's allegedly ill- gotten wealth worth Rp 122.4 billion (US$15.3 million) in the central Sumatra province alone, Antara news agency reported on Tuesday.
Soeharto's fortune, part of which has been sold to his crony and noted businessman Prayogo Pangestu, reportedly comprised stocks, land, a plywood factory, a bank, a pineapple cannery and a TV relay station, worth Rp 122.4 billion in all.
State Minister for Land Affairs Hasan Basri Durin on visiting the province said ownership of the property would be canceled and sanctions applied if charges were proven.
Hasan said the government prosecutor's office would continue a thorough investigation into the wealth while the land would be seized for the state or returned to its original owners.
Chief of the Prosecutor's Office in Irian Jaya T.H. Sidabutar said that they were also investigating thousands of hectares of land allegedly belonging to Soeharto, his children and cronies.
He said at least five factories were built there.
The companies had regional offices in Irian Jaya, including Timika, Sorong and Merauke, according to Antara.
Investigations there would continue and local people were expected to cooperate with reliable information, he said.
The findings add to earlier reports from provincial offices of the agency.
Sidabutar said so far the probe was focused on Soeharto and his family and had yet to be directed at cronies.
A prominent crony, Bob Hasan, for instance, apparently held a virtual monopoly on the supply of vegetables, meat, eggs, fruits and various other necessities for employees of PT Freeport Indonesia mining firm, the agency said.
Before, the supplies of PT Freeport Indonesia employees were handled by local people or were imported from Australia, Sidabutar said.
Travel ban
Meanwhile Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party, urged the government to put Soeharto under city arrest, and to confiscate his wealth and that of his family and cronies.
"The law should be upheld if we want reform to go on. The time has come to bring economic and political criminals to court," he said after installing the executive board of the party's chapter in Lampung on Tuesday.
He cited the new decree of the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly from Nov. 10 through Nov. 13. A decree on clean governance included a stipulation that the government investigate former president Soeharto's wealth.
"There will be no excuse for the Attorney General declining investigation of Soeharto, his family and his cronies if he wants to take the people's side and if the government is committed to the new MPR decree," Amien said, calling Soeharto Bapak Sepuh (Old Father).
"It is possible for the government to consider forgiving Soeharto because of his age but his children and cronies should be tried and punished if they are proven guilty," he said. (rms)