Returning assets

Returning assets

From Rakyat Merdeka

Before being elected president, Abdurrahman Wahid expressed
his opinion on the investigation into former president Soeharto.
He suggested that Soeharto should repent and return to the state
some of his assets allegedly amassed through corruption,
collusion and nepotism (KKN). In this way the problem would be
solved.

This opinion has led to pros and cons in the community because
it has put aside legal justice. The President must have expressed
this opinion because he would like part of Soeharto's allegedly
illegally amassed assets to be used to help the state and the
people, both of which is the grip of a deep economic crisis.

As a layman, I would like to suggest the gesture be extended
to include not only Soeharto but also all officials during
Soeharto's regime and their cronies, including business tycoons,
who amassed great wealth through KKN.

In this regard, they should make an agreement with the
government and the House of Representatives and the People's
Consultative Assembly about the portion of the assets that they
would be allowed to keep in order that they may be exempted from
any probe. Their names and their assets should then be publicly
announced in the mass media.

In conjunction with this, it would be much better if some
businesspeople donated part of their assets even though they are
not implicated in KKN. The community is observant enough to
identify who is or is not involved in KKN. Regarding officials
during the New Order regime, they should include officials at the
village unit level. I'm sure there are hundreds or even thousands
who could be implicated in malpractice.

During B.J. Habibie's transitional administration not a single
person involved in KKN was brought to court. How many more years
will be needed to investigate the hundreds of people who may have
been involved in wrongdoings? Hundreds of years? Besides, there
are other crimes the settlement of which is not clear yet. One
thing is sure, though, many lawyers will get rich as defense
counsels.

Y. LUKMAN

Jakarta