'No need to detain Soeharto if...'

'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)