Soeharto celebrates birthday with thousands of orphans

JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto celebrated his 80th birthday with thousands of orphans on Friday, while at the same time being reminded by state prosecutors that he was still a suspect in a corruption case.

Soeharto invited 10,000 orphans, a similar number of people who attended Sukarno's centennial birthday commemoration on Wednesday, to celebrate his birthday with him at the Indonesia in Miniature Park in East Jakarta.

Each orphan received a box of foodstuffs, including rice, sugar and salt, from the former first family.

Police tightly guarded the park's At-Tin Mosque where the gathering was held. People without invitations were not allowed to enter the hall.

"We were worried about holding an open gathering because some people may misunderstand it as a show of force," Antara quoted Soeharto's second daughter Siti "Titiek" Hediati as saying about the event.

She insisted that her father was not in a healthy condition, although he was able to spend one hour at the gathering.

"Physically, bapak is healthy. But in other aspects he is not fit," Titiek said.

Some of Soeharto's old friends and former ministers, including former foreign minister Ali Alatas and former minister of information Gen. (ret) Hartono, were also invited.

Soeharto was cheerful with the children, but wept when an eight-year old orphan, Indharawati, read a poem entitled Peace.

Separately, state prosecutor Umbu Lage Lozara warned that Soeharto was still a defendant in a US$570 million corruption case, despite the court having declared that he was not fit to stand trial due to his poor health.

According to Umbu, the trial of Soeharto and the arrest of his youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, who is a wanted felon, are among the top priorities of newly appointed Attorney General Baharuddin Lopa.

"Soeharto is still a suspect. He is now under doctors' care to oversee everything. When they say it is OK to try him, we will take him to court," said Umbu, who was a member of the state prosecutors' team during Soeharto's trial in September.

Soeharto, who ended his 32-year presidency in May 1998, later held a family party at his Jl. Cendana residence in Central Jakarta.

"This is only a small party with his children and grandchildren," said a guard at the residence. (prb)