Soeharto admitted to hospital

JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto was admitted on Tuesday to the privately-run Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta, due to an uneven heart beat.

Hospital spokeswoman Tuti Dwi Patmayanti said Soeharto, who turned 80 on Friday, was taken to the hospital at 1:30 p.m. by his second eldest son Bambang Trihatmodjo and youngest daughter Siti Hutami Endang Adiningsih.

Col. Maliki Mift, Soeharto's personal assistant, said, "Bapak's health condition is stable. Since this morning his heart beat has been slower than usual, and this has affected the blood circulating to other organs."

"Doctors are handling him and now he is stable," Maliki told the Post.

Speaking to reporters at the hospital later in the day, one of Soeharto's lawyers, Juan Felix Tampubolon, confirmed that the former president was in stable condition after doctors installed a pace maker to help his heart beat normally.

"A permanent pace maker will be installed tomorrow (Wednesday)," Juan Felix said.

Soeharto, who ruled the country for 32 years until 1998, has been treated regularly, and has undergone checkups at Pertamina Hospital.

Since his resignation in 1998, the retired army general has been treated at the hospital at least three times for various ailments, including a slight stroke and intestinal bleeding.

Soeharto has also suffered breathing and urinary complications, and underwent an emergency appendectomy at Pertamina Hospital in February. (bby/emf)