Popular participation in Tommy's manhunt

Popular participation in Tommy's manhunt

JAKARTA (JP): The manhunt for fugitive Hutomo 'Tommy' Mandala
Putra, convicted in a land scam, has led many parties to take
part, either seriously or jokingly, in the search.

In a front-page advertisement, Rakyat Merdeka daily offered a
reward worth Rp 100 million (US$11,000) to anyone who could
provide evidence about a possible collusion between Tommy and law
enforcers to keep the fugitive out of jail.

The contest will be open until Dec. 24.

On Saturday, around 50 people from Humanika (Community
Association for Humanity and Justice) carried a huge poster
during their protest at Hotel Indonesia roundabout that read: "Rp
5 million reward for National Police Chief and Attorney General
to arrest Tommy Soeharto."

Posters bearing the headshot of the youngest son of former
president Soeharto with the word "Wanted" at the top could be
found at many lamp and telephone posts, building walls and
several other places on Jl. Salemba Raya, Central Jakarta, since
early last week.

The posters, said to be placed by university students, did not
offer any reward or even mention any telephone number to be
contacted.

Late last week, City Police Chief Insp. Gen. Mulyono Sulaiman
said in a TV interview that the public role in the arrest of
Tommy was to be expected.

"It's not good if we have to provide a reward for people who
help us in the manhunt.

What we really hope is that the people, who manage to find
Tommy, would immediately hand over the fugitive to the nearby
police station without doing anything illegal, such as beating
him," he said. (dja)