MPR entreated to rule on Soeharto's political status
MPR entreated to rule on Soeharto's political status
JAKARTA (JP): In order to prepare for a long and complicated
trial of former president Soeharto and its consequences, it is
necessary for the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to decide
on the political status of the former ruler, an observer said on
Thursday.
Arbi Sanit, of the University of Indonesia, said the MPR could
issue a decree on the status of Soeharto to give the judicial
institution "a clear stand-point" on which it could base its
conduct of the trial.
"Legal resolution cannot be separated from political decision-
making. In any country, law enforcement must receive political
support," Arbi said on the sidelines of a seminar on the task
sharing arrangement between the President and Vice President.
He regretted that the Assembly had failed to make any
determination about Soeharto, which to some extent has hampered
the high-profile trial.
"It needs a decision from a more powerful institution like the
Assembly. All politicians should unite in issuing a declaration
on Soeharto's status," Arbi said.
He considered that Law No. 11/1998 on good governance free
from corruption, collusion and nepotism does not provide anything
significant in respect of Soeharto's case, although it states
that the former president's alleged graft case is among the
corruption cases which top the priority list for investigation.
"The decree is unclear. The most unfortunate thing is that it
hands over Soeharto's case solely to the court," Arbi remarked.
The interval between legal resolution and a political decision
has allowed certain groups loyal to Soeharto to take action in
support of their interests, according to Arbi.
He said the mounting violence across the country, including
the bombing of the Jakarta Stock Exchange on Wednesday, should
not be perceived as mere coincidences occurring around the time
of Soeharto's trial.
"The bombings could have been perpetrated by Soeharto's
cronies. Every time Soeharto is asked to attend a trial, there
are bomb blasts," he said. "It's real although it's difficult to
be prove."
A senior legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Sabam Sirait suggested that the
government freeze the wealth of Soeharto and his family before
conducting the trial against the former president.
"Soeharto's wealth should be sought out and frozen even though
he claims he doesn't have a red cent," he added. (jun)