Ruling on Dewi Sukarno lawsuit delayed

JAKARTA: South Jakarta District Court postponed on Thursday the ruling on a lawsuit filed by Dewi Sukarno -- the wife of late founding president Sukarno -- since two of the three-member panel of judges were absent.

"Presiding Judge Zoeber Djayadi is in Yogyakarta to take a test at the Gadjah Mada University, while panel member Ridwan Toro is also in Yogyakarta due to family matters," the only panel member present, Ida Bagus Putu Madeg, told the court.

Japan-born Dewi, whose birth name is Naoko Nemoto, sued 11 institutions over the ownership of 10-hectares of valuable land in the business district on Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kaveling, South Jakarta.

Those sued include: the Jakarta governor, the health minister, the National Land Agency, PT Danareksa Jakarta International, PT Arthayasa Grahatama, PT Danayasa Arthatama, and PT Bank Artha Graha.

Dewi claimed she purchased the land in 1965 and had planned to build a hospital on it. But, after fleeing Jakarta in 1967, due to the political climate, the land was transferred to various institutions without Dewi's consent. -- JP