Habibie pledges report on Soeharto probe

Habibie pledges report on Soeharto probe

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie, whose administration is
widely criticized as too spineless to take legal actions against
Soeharto, promised on Tuesday an account of his campaign for
clean governance which includes investigation into the former
president's alleged power abuses.

"I will deliver my account during the general session of the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). Just wait. It's now being
processed," he told journalists who asked him how he implemented
the MPR decree No. XI/1998 on clean governance.

Soeharto transferred the power he held for 32 years to Habibie
on May 21, after student protests forced him to resign. Led by
Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib, investigation into Soeharto was
launched soon afterward. Until today, however, Ghalib still
insists there is not enough evidence of corruption to bring
Soeharto to court.

Habibie met with the media after holding a "consultation" with
leaders of the House of Representatives (DPR) for three and a
half hours here Tuesday.

Habibie was accompanied in the meeting by Coordinating
Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Alleviation Haryono
Suyono, Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry
Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Coordinating Minister for Development
Supervision and Administrative Reforms Hartarto, Coordinating
Minister for Political Affairs and Security Feisal Tanjung, Home
Affairs Minister Syarwan Hamid, Information Minister Muhammad
Yunus and Ghalib.

House Speaker Harmoko was accompanied by his deputies Abdul
Gafur, Ismail Hasan Metareum, Hari Sabarno, and Fatimah Ahmad,
and DPR secretary-general Afif Ma'ruf.

Both sides discussed in the meeting the preparations for the
June 7 general elections. Harmoko said 80.53 percent of the
eligible voters, or 103,381,385 people, have been registered to
vote.

The figure differs from that compiled by the General Elections
Commission (KPU), which was 75 percent by Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Antara reported that leaders of the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) faction, Budi Hardjono, and of the United
Development Party (PPP) faction, Zarkasih Nur, expressed hope the
poll would take place as scheduled.

There would be security disturbance and instability if the
elections were canceled, Budi said.

"PDI doesn't want to see the next election canceled," said
Budi, who is also PDI chairman.

Zarkasih raised concern about how the poll would be conducted
in riot-prone areas such as Aceh, Sambas (West Kalimantan), Ambon
in Maluku, East Timor, and Irian Jaya.

Separately, Director General of Public Administration and
Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid said if the elections were
postponed, the government's credibility would be damaged. (swe)