Not collusion but support
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