Prabowo pays courtesy call on 'friend' Amien

SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): Former chief of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subiyanto met the People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais at Muhammadiyah hospital here on Thursday.

Both Prabowo and Amien were quick to deny political motives behind the encounter, saying it was just a meeting between friends.

"I came here after hearing that Pak Amien's mother is sick," Prabowo said.

The closed-door meeting took place in the VIP room of the hospital and lasted about one hour.

Prabowo, a son-in-law of former president Soeharto, arrived at the hospital at about 1 p.m. along with his companions Ahmad Sumargono, a legislator from the Crescent and Star Party and Fadlizon, the party's deputy chairman.

Amien said that Prabowo's visit was routine, but added that the former chief of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) asked him about current political and security affairs.

"Many people abroad ask Mas Prabowo about the political and security situation in Indonesia. That's why he visited me," Amien, who is also chairman of the National Mandate Party, said.

He said he had met Prabowo twice since he was dismissed from the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Amien asserted that Prabowo did not talk about the possibility for him to start a political career in Indonesia.

Probowo was dubbed as a rising star before his dismissal from military service in 1998 following May riots which claimed hundreds of lives. Since then, he has been staying in Jordan, where he conducts business.

Many analysts believed Prabowo's dismissal was a result of his battle with former TNI chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto to reach the top position in the military.

Wiranto himself has his military career cut short with his early retirement starting from March 1. He was suspended as the coordinating minister for political affairs and security due to investigation into his alleged involvement in East Timor violence last year.

Prabowo's father, noted economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, earlier revealed that his son was preparing a white book about his role during the riots.

Prabowo refused on Thursday to comment about the book and said he had no interests in politics and preferred to be a businessman.

Prabowo has been seen several times visiting his homeland since the election of Abdurrahman Wahid as the president in October last year. The President reportedly offered him a position as military advisor. (44/jun)