Moerdani joins Soeharto in visit to Tien's grave

JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto and his 150-strong entourage, including former Armed Forces (ABRI) commander Gen. (ret) L.B. Moerdani, visited the grave of his late wife Tien in Giribangun, Surakarta, on Friday.

Soeharto and his six children flew back to Jakarta on a chartered F-100 flight after the six-hour religious service to commemorate the 1,000th day of Tien's death. It marked the end of their five-day trip to the Central Java town.

Wearing black batik, members of the entourage arrived at the family cemetery in five VW vans on Friday morning. Security was tight and only photographers were allowed to cover the event.

The ceremony, led by Soeharto's religious advisor and former religious affairs minister Quraish Shihab, proceeded smoothly. Protesters failed to show despite earlier media reports of planned demonstrations.

Soeharto also invited 200 students of several Islamic boarding schools from Banten, West Java.

Besides his children, four of their spouses, 13 grandchildren and Moerdani, Soeharto's guest list included Gen. (ret) R. Hartono, former Army chief of staff and information minister.

Soeharto's brother-in-law Gen. (ret) Wismoyo Arismunandar, the husband of one of Tien's sisters, his half-brother Probosutedjo and cousin Sudwikatmono were also present.

ABRI Commander Gen. Wiranto was not present. He and his wife attended an Islamic religious service in Tien's memory at Soeharto's Giribangun mansion on Thursday night.

The former first family said their Friday prayer at a mosque inside the mausoleum. Soeharto has said he wants to be buried next to his wife.

Separately, the head of the Batam prosecutor's office, K.W. Sulatra, disclosed on Friday his institution had found several companies and properties, including at the Batamindo industrial estate, controlled or owned by Soeharto's family.

"The value of the alleged corruption, collusion and nepotism practices is quite high," Antara quoted Sulatra as saying.

Sulatra said members of the public had also informed his office of other officials allegedly involved in corruption. He refused to divulge the officials' names. (prb)