Legislators prevented from meeting Soeharto

Legislators prevented from meeting Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): A lawyer representing Soeharto was fuming on
Friday after an unexpected visit by legislators to the former
president's residence to question him about his alleged
channeling of loans to certain banks.

Seven legislators from House of Representatives Commission IX
for financial and development planning affairs traveled to Jl.
Cendana in Central Jakarta in an attempt to meet with the former
president.

Lawyer Juan Felix Tampubolon and Soeharto's daughter Siti
Hardijanti Rukmana would not allow the legislators to meet with
the 78-year-old former president, saying he was too ill.

Speaking to journalists later, Tampubolon questioned the
legislators' persistence in attempting to meet with Soeharto,
despite being informed by a medical team that "our client is
unfit to undergo any clarification process or questioning".

"It has not been made up," he asserted.

The commission has summoned Soeharto to question him over
possible abuses in channeling liquidity support from Bank
Indonesia to local banks.

The House had ordered the Supreme Audit Agency and the
Attorney General's Office to investigate the Rp 80 trillion
allegedly improperly channeled when Soeharto was in office.

Soeharto's inability to travel to the House on Friday
afternoon apparently prompted the legislators to make their
unannounced visit on the former president.

Soeharto also failed to answer a summons from the Attorney
General's Office on Monday. His lawyers said Soeharto was too ill
to face questioning.

Tampubolon once again asserted on Friday his client's medical
team had concluded that it was impossible for Soeharto to undergo
questioning in his current condition.

"Bapak is incapable of communicating. He cannot get the
substance of it," he said.

Tampubolon also lashed out at the legislators for their
recklessness in attempting to meet with Soeharto.

"Who would take responsibility if something happened to his
health as a result of the questioning," he asked.

Soeharto was hospitalized twice last year, once for a stroke
and once for intestinal bleeding.

Tampubolon also contended that failing to question Soeharto
would not hinder any investigation.

"The process can still continue by questioning witnesses or
looking for evidence," he said. (01)