How to deal with Soeharto

How to deal with Soeharto

From Gamma

The 32-year Soeharto reign has made people restless because Indonesia's enormous foreign loans caused by his policies now must be borne by the current administration and future generation.

While foreign confidence in Indonesia has gotten lower almost to vanishing, it isn't easy for President Abdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur as he popularly called, and his ministers to rectify and stabilize the ever declining rupiah.

Price hikes for food and other commodities make common people suffer, and the growing unrest, riots, burning of houses and frightening mass demonstrations make foreigners afraid of coming to and doing business in Indonesia.

In such a situation, it's hard for the Attorney General Marzuki Darusman to punish Soeharto and his children, still living in luxury for the grave economic crimes they have committed. It seems 12 years' imprisonment for Soeharto is too light. But as a nation believing in God Almighty, we think Soeharto's present suffering -- senile, forgetful, requiring someone's support when walking -- is already God's punishment.

So, we must also consider his achievements for this country, from nothing to what we can enjoy now such as high rise buildings, flyovers, palm oil plantations and many others. The only way to settle Soeharto's problem is like Gus Dur says that he will forgive Soeharto. Gus Dur's attitude deserves support. There is no need to imprison him -- just his greedy children.

Soeharto's cronies -- most of them are big business people -- who received credit facilities from state banks are difficult to blame, because what they received were gifts from Soeharto, and they already disbursed some portions of their credit facilities to Soeharto's numerous foundations. At the most, the legal sanction to be imposed on them is civil, not criminal.

Most important is that they are still in position and sufficiently affluent to repay their loans to the government, unless they have flown abroad. What we must try to do now is get Soeharto and his children to return their assets to the government, at least two thirds of them.

Then Soeharto's money, I presume part of it is kept by Liem Sioe Liong, ought to be returned to the Indonesian government. In this case Liem Sioe Liong must be aware that he has become super rich (from having nothing in the past) thanks to Soeharto's kindness. He had better return Soeharto's money to Indonesia.

In addition, Soeharto and his children should be moved to Buru Island. This will serve as an endeavor to stop the Indonesian people's anger and hatred against Soeharto's sins. There, Soeharto can live peacefully, no longer witnessing demonstrations that might disturb his remaining old days. On Buru Island Soeharto can go fishing, play golf, and more important, there he can continue to enjoy his hobby of farming like he used to do at Tapos, Bogor.

H.G. MALIKMASS

Tangerang, West Java