New Order figures must 'be tried'

JAKARTA (JP): The director of the Institute of Public Policy Studies said that in the rush to indict former president Soeharto and his family, the activities of other prominent players in the New Order regime should not be overlooked.

"The New Order regime included not only Soeharto and his family but also many other important figures," Ichsanuddin Noorsy said during a seminar on reform held here on Friday.

Ichsanuddin, a former Golkar Party legislator, said the Soeharto regime was supported by four main groups -- the military, the bureaucracy, conglomerate owners and Golkar -- and all of these groups should be held accountable for their actions.

"If we are committed to undertaking total reform, we must cleanse these four groups of those figures who supported Soeharto's regime."

Meanwhile, Dwiyanto Prihartono, the secretary of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association, attacked President Abdurrahman Wahid's administration for its failure to uphold the law.

"The Attorney General's Office is only looking to investigate corruption cases that draw the public's attention," he said.

Hamdan Zoelva, the deputy chairman of House of Representatives Commission II for home and legal affairs, concurred, saying many New Order figures had yet to be tried.

"It is not fair...Harmoko, Sudomo, Edy Sudrajat, Bustanil Arifin, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Hartarto, Akbar Tandjung, Feisal Tandjung and Hartono, have been left in peace in their own houses," he said. (rms)