Punish Soeharto
Punish Soeharto
From Rakyat Merdeka
A discussion on how to resolve the matter of Soeharto, aired by private TV station SCTV some time ago, was rather utopian, especially when H. Probosutedjo ventured that the matter should be settled according to Islamic law. Allow me to provide my opinion on what is a fitting course of action.
Our country is based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, and not on Islamic law. If the country's legal system was founded on Islamic law, a person convicted of a crime could face beheading.
Legal experts, public figures, students and the people demand that Soeharto be tried in a court of law for the corruption, collusion and nepotism he allegedly committed during his presidency. Given that what Soeharto did was accounted for before six general sessions of the People's Consultative Assembly, thousands of members of the ruling Golkar Party should be subjected to an interrogation by the Attorney General's Office. In this respect, the ministers in the Development Cabinet and Soeharto's cronies also must be interrogated.
Consider the following: Will the Attorney General's Office have enough personnel to undertake this large-scale interrogation? How many tons of paper will be needed for the official reports on the interrogation? How much time will be needed for the interrogation and investigation?
I am a retired army colonel from the 1945 generation (Students' Troop, Surakarta). Since my retirement began on July 27, 1986, I have taken part in three general elections and voted for PPP, Golkar and PDI all together (or, in other words, I voted for none, being a follower of the White Group). When I was still in active military service, I simply acted as a good listener and onlooker and found that Golkar had begun to deviate from the path of democracy, Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.
As a 1945 freedom fighter, I wish to suggest the following for the settlement of Soeharto's case: * Corruption, collusion and nepotism are simply the "smoke". * We must instead look for the "fire" because the original of the March 11 Letter of Instruction (known as Supersemar) is nowhere to be found. * If the original cannot be found, the punishment is 20 years in jail pursuant to the criminal code (KUHP). * Legally, this case must be transferred to a special court. * About the sentence of 20 years, there would be a court ruling and then, most likely, an appeal, which could be filed with the Supreme Court, and then a request for amnesty which would be up to the discretion of the head of state. Apart from the legal settlement, the president may refer this case to the People's Consultative Assembly to effect a political settlement. * If the People's Consultative Assembly agrees to pardon Soeharto, he could live in his Rp 26.5 billion house at the Indonesia in Miniature Park (TMII), but should do without a telephone, radio, television, magazines and newspapers. * At 6 a.m. his family members may pay him a visit. At 6 p.m. they and all the servants must leave the house. Only guards would remain at strategic posts at a distance from the house. * Doctors would make weekly visits during the day.
I believe that my recommendations are fair and wise. My apologies if I have offended legal experts and the speakers involved in the discussion organized by SCTV.
JACKY DJATMIKO
Jakarta