Moerdani joins Soeharto in visit to Tien's grave
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)