Soeharto authorizes prosecutors' probe

Soeharto authorizes prosecutors' probe

JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto went to the Attorney
General's Office on Friday, "not for investigation" according to
the government, but to submit draft letters granting permission
to open any bank accounts bearing his name both here and
overseas.

Attorney General Andi Muhammad Ghalib told journalists that
the former ruler came to submit two unsigned drafts of letters
authorizing investigators to search for wealth which he has
allegedly squirreled away overseas.

"The first document was a draft letter authorizing the
Attorney General to transfer funds held abroad, if they do exist,
to the Indonesian government," said Ghalib, who has been
entrusted with leading the investigation into Soeharto's personal
wealth.

"The second document was a draft letter authorizing those
particular banks to reveal details of Soeharto's accounts,"
Ghalib told a packed media conference after meeting Soeharto for
35 minutes at his office in South Jakarta.

The country's former strongman leader arrived in a dark blue
Mercedes jeep followed by another Mercedes jeep packed with his
batik-clad bodyguards. Soeharto sat in the front passenger seat
wearing a blue batik shirt and a traditional black cap.

Upon his arrival, he was immediately escorted to Ghalib's
chamber on the second floor of the main building.

When he left, Soeharto, who was last year made an honorary
five-star general, was seen smiling and waving to dozens of
reporters and photographers who had been waiting at the office
since morning.

He did not make any comment.

A number of photographers were seen chasing after Soeharto's
car to take his picture. He was driven back to his home on Jl.
Cendana in Central Jakarta.

Ghalib said that during a previous meeting on Monday, Soeharto
had expressed his willingness to come in person to the Attorney
General's Office to submit the required documents.

Ghalib said earlier this week that his visit to Soeharto's
residence on Monday was only to get "detailed clarification" of a
televised statement made by the former president on Sept. 6. In
the statement, Soeharto claimed not even to have one cent of
savings abroad.

Ghalib said on Friday that Soeharto was accompanied by his
lawyer Syamsul Hadi.

He also said that two teams have been established to locate
any money Soeharto might have stashed overseas and to identify
assets that were possibly obtained by corrupt means.

He said the teams are respectively chaired by Deputy Attorney
General for Civil and State Administrative Soehandjono and Deputy
Attorney General for Special Crimes Anton Sujata.

Suspect

Ghalib reiterated that Soeharto has not been named as suspect
in a corruption investigation.

"Up to now, we have no evidence or data which points to
Soeharto as a suspect. People should wait patiently for the
results (of the whole investigation)," he said, adding that it
had taken years for the Philippines to recover money taken by
former dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Ghalib did not rule out the possibility of extending the
investigation to include Soeharto's six children, who are also
currently surrounded by allegations of corruption.

"If we find leads which point to his children, we will pursue
the investigation (in that direction)," Ghalib said.

Ghalib said he also planned to question those who have
publicly alleged Soeharto has stashed money overseas.

"We will seek information from Amien Rais, Christianto
Wibisono, Albert Hasibuan and whoever else (who have spoken about
having data on Soeharto's wealth)," Ghalib said, referring to the
leader of the National Mandate Party and two members of the
Movement of Concerned Citizens on State Assets (Gempita).

Meanwhile, Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung told
reporters at the Bina Graha presidential office that Soeharto
would have to file a report on his personal wealth, which all
cabinet ministers must complete by law.

Ghalib, however, said that Soeharto has filed the report,
adding that it would soon be submitted to President B.J. Habibie.

Forbes magazine estimated in July that Soeharto's wealth was
worth US$4 billion. Legal experts have said that although the
amount may be even more than that, decrees introduced by Soeharto
during his 32 year rule may make it difficult to prove the money
was acquired illegally. (byg/imn/prb)