'No need to detain Soeharto if...'
JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto will only be placed under house arrest if he is not cooperative in any government probe into corruption allegations, Attorney General Andi Muhammad Ghalib said on Monday.
"If it is easy to meet with and question Soeharto anytime, and if he does not complicate the investigation and is ready to come to the place of investigation, then there is no need to detain him," Ghalib said after opening an internal coordination meeting at his office.
He said the government would soon establish an independent commission to probe Soeharto's wealth. He hoped Soeharto would fully cooperate with the investigators.
"If Soeharto makes the investigation process more difficult... a travel ban or house arrest can be imposed against him," Ghalib was quoted by Antara as saying.
President B.J. Habibie's government has been widely accused of dragging its feet in investigating abuses of power by Soeharto. Many critics have doubted whether Ghalib has the capacity and the courage to investigate Soeharto, who ruled for 32 years until May.
Ghalib insisted the government was serious and underlined the plan to establish the independent commission as proof. "With the commission, we can expect a very encouraging progress."
Armed Forces (ABRI) chief of Territorial Affairs, Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, added weight on Monday for the government to comply with the mandate of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
In its Special Session this month, the MPR enacted a decree calling for the establishment of a clean government which is free from corruption, collusion and nepotism. The decree also calls for a thorough investigation into Soeharto, former and incumbent government officials and their families and cronies.
"The important thing is how the government implements the MPR directives in investigating former president Soeharto's personal wealth," Susilo said after an address at the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas).
Susilo cautioned it was important to maintain the presumption of innocence while conducting the investigation.
Meanwhile Rubiyanto Misman, the rector of the state-run Jenderal Soedirman University in Purwokerto, Central Java, urged the government not to hesitate in putting Soeharto under city arrest because the majority of the nation agreed with the measure.
Rubiyanto warned that Soeharto was "highly experienced" in manipulating others and could sidestep an investigation.
He said Habibie should cast aside his close relationship with Soeharto for the sake of the country's interests.
"It is not impossible that (Soeharto) will disappear. It wouldn't be that difficult for such a caliber of politician," he said.
Noer Iskandar, a lecturer at Malang University of Islam in East Java said the government should consider putting Soeharto behind bars to appease people's anger. "It is not difficult at all to jail him," Noer said. (imn/45/prb)