More cosmetics, Habibie?

The widespread skepticism which greeted Thursday's announcement that President B.J. Habibie has ordered Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib to investigate Soeharto on charges of corruption, collusion and nepotism once again shows that public confidence and trust in the government are at a dangerously low ebb. The announcement came in the wake of mounting protests at the government's foot-dragging in the investigation of the former president. If anything, the announcement has only reaffirmed the notion that Habibie only acts when enough pressure is brought to bear on him.

The President had earlier toyed with the idea of establishing an independent commission to investigate Soeharto, but he dropped the plan after failing to secure the participation of many respected public figures. Their presence would have lent credence to the team, but these respected men and women rightly turned the invitation down when they learned that they were to have very limited powers of investigation. They would not be part of Habibie's scheme of stalling the investigation and even of covering up the sins committed by Soeharto, his one-time political mentor.

There is another good reason to be skeptical of Habibie's announcement. Ghalib is hardly the right person to conduct the investigation. The Attorney General was given similar instructions when he was appointed to the post some five months ago, yet he has repeatedly stalled the investigation, using various legal pretexts so effectively that he has been acting more like Soeharto's public relations officer.

The corruption investigation of Soeharto will be one of the major litmus tests by which Habibie's presidency will be judged. The public is watching closely to see whether the President is able to break loose from the shadow of his successor and prosecute him. A prosecution of Soeharto, given the big mess our country is currently in, is a matter of course. Justice must be upheld, and it shall be, if not sooner, then later. If Habibie cannot do the job in the period allotted to him, then the next elected president will. It is therefore only a matter of time.

Some government officials are touting the idea that the Presidential decree ordering this investigation is proof that Habibie has the political will, something which his critics say he is sorely lacking. Few people will buy that claim, especially given the attitude that Habibie has shown over the last six months. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. The decree proves nothing. What is important is the follow-up action, if indeed any is forthcoming. So far, the decree, by itself, looks more like another layer of cheap cosmetics being applied to make the government, hard pressed as it is to shore up its own credibility, look good.

If Habibie really has the political will to uphold justice -- for that is what this investigation is all about, and not a vengeful act against the former president -- then he has no reason to stall whatsoever.

One need not be a court judge to know that Soeharto is guilty of corruption, collusion and nepotism. Otherwise, we would not be in such a political and economic mess now. The evidence is there for everyone to see and feel. Habibie's task is to initiate the necessary legal proceedings. It's as simple as that.

By stalling the process, Habibie has allowed Soeharto, his children, relatives and business cronies to cover their tracks, remove incriminating evidence, and transfer their massive wealth out of the country. We have already lost precious time, and probably the chance of retrieving this ill-gotten loot from them. The right thing for the government to do now is to put the former president under arrest, and freeze the assets belonging to him and his relatives, here and abroad, while conducting the investigation. Somehow, we do not think Habibie has the courage, or the will, to do what is required of him.