More cosmetics, Habibie?
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.