Not collusion but support
As an Indonesian citizen I appreciate the leadership of President Soeharto who aims to build the nation and bring prosperity to the people. Year by year the number of people who live in want and poverty is growing smaller. I believe that all the rumors or issues which make it seem as if Pak Harto colluded with Liem Sioe Liong, are untrue. What is true is that Pak Harto received much financial assistance from Liem Soei Liong and from other tycoons who have acquired business facilities and credits from government banks. I am therefore not surprised over the circulation of these issues, of which Pak Harto is also aware and which he has denied, because it is impossible that Pak Harto has colluded with Liem Soei Liong.
People know that Pak Harto and Liem Soei Liong, who have known each other for a long time, are close friends and according to some people are like brothers. And although it may be that it is easy for Liem Soei Liong to obtain business permits and bank credits because of his closeness to Pak Harto, and although I know that Liem's business started with a cement plant at Cibinong and flour mills, and that in those businesses Pak Harto's and Ibu Tien Soeharto's kin are involved, nevertheless their development has been most beneficial to us and has helped promote our national industries.
It may be true that these businesses have made Liem a very wealthy man, but Liem has also given much financial assistance to Pak Harto's and Ibu Tien Soeharto's interests through a number of their foundations, such as Supersemar and Dharmais. Liem's assistance was intended not for Pak Harto personally but for his foundations, which have plenty of funds.
Think for instance how easy it was for Pak Harto through his foundation to replenish the funds of Bank Duta, which was in financial trouble due to the foreign exchange speculations by Dicky a while ago. Thus the presence of his foundations deserves our support, although of course it would be natural for the House of Representatives to ask Pak Harto who, after he is no longer head of state or with us, will acquire all the money at the foundations and at the Tapos range. Will they become state assets? All this must be properly regulated now.
In short, it is true that Pak Harto did not collude with Liem Soei Liong although Pak Harto did receive support. This issue should be cleared up soon so that people will not think that Pak Harto and his family belong to the very wealthy. I do not want a case like Marcos and Imelda to occur in Indonesia.
We, the people of Indonesia, fully support Pak Harto and will continue to support him. May he be reelected in the 1997 general elections. God willing.
H.G. MALIKMASS
Jakarta