Public cast doubt on Soeharto investigation

JAKARTA (JP): Lawyers and activists expressed doubt on Thursday that the government-sponsored team assigned to investigate former president Soeharto's wealth would be allowed to work independently.

"How can we trust the team if its chairman (Attorney General Andi Muhammad Ghalib) has said that he believes Soeharto's denial that he accumulated a fortune worth trillions of rupiah (during his 32 years in power)?" lawyer Faisal Tadjuddin, the secretary- general of the Movement of Concerned Citizens on State Assets (Gempita) told a media conference.

He was referring to Ghalib's response to a statement made by Soeharto on the TPI television channel, which is controlled by his eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana.

Ghalib said: "He is a former president, why would you have cause not believe a statement from Soeharto?"

Faisal also said that President B.J. Habibie's decision to investigate Soeharto's wealth on Tuesday was politically motivated. "He is only trying to win public sympathy," Faisal said, referring to Soeharto's long time ally and former vice president.

In Medan, Ghalib said Soeharto was ready to clarify his financial state of affairs.

Dismissing doubts that the team would be independent, Ghalib, said leading government critics such as Amien Rais might be included "if necessary." He was speaking after a signing ceremony for a cooperative program between the Prosecutor's Office and the University of North Sumatra (USU).

Faisal also urged the government to involve independent bodies such as Gempita and the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) in the investigation.

Ghalib has said he may ask such bodies for information.

Gempita was established in May by lawyers, activists and economists to collect information on the ill-gotten wealth and assets of Soeharto and other officials in the previous government.

ICW was established in June to fight for the recovery of assets obtained illegally by Soeharto and his family.

Another member of Gempita, Kastorius Sinaga, drew attention to a number of people whom he thought would have been better candidates to chair the investigative team. He said former Supreme Court judges Adi Andojo Soetjipto, Bismar Siregar and the secretary-general of the National Commission on Human Rights, Baharuddin Lopa, were suitably qualified for the position.

All three are prominent government critics.

However, Adi said on the private SCTV channel on Thursday evening that the team should be given a chance to demonstrate its independence. "Don't be hasty to conclude that the team can't be trusted," he said.

Meanwhile, Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung said on Thursday evening that Soeharto would decide on the date of when the team would ask for "clarification" from Soeharto.

"Since we are the ones who want to meet him it is he (Soeharto) who should decide on the most appropriate time," Akbar told reporters at Merdeka Palace.

In Yogyakarta, Afan Gaffar, a political observer from Gadjah Mada University, said it was the House of Representatives which should have formed a team comprising House members and representatives of non-governmental organizations.

The government said on Wednesday that the team would include senior officials from the National Police Headquarters and the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP).

Separately at the House of Representatives on Thursday, Minister of Justice Muladi called on politicians who served in the Cabinet during the Soeharto era to declare their wealth.

Muladi said that the team should also investigate the wealth of those who were ministers during the Soeharto era, including Habibie.

In his speech on TPI, Soeharto said he did not even have one cent abroad. He also challenged anyone who has said he is rich to back up their claims with evidence.

Forbes magazine estimated in July that Soeharto, 77, had a fortune worth US$4 billion. (byg/23/21)