Soeharto must be made a suspect

Soeharto must be made a suspect

From Pikiran Rakyat

I think the assignment of sending the minister of justice and the attorney general to Switzerland and Austria is no more than a political maneuver in the context of President Habibie's accountability speech at the People's Consultative Assembly.

From a legal viewpoint, the action is useless because, in fact, the government knows that as long as former president Soeharto has not been declared a suspect, the governments in those countries will not be able to help us in breaking bank secrecy.

I am convinced that Soeharto is not stupid. If he has money in Austria, the money may very well be deposited in another person's name, so that the power of attorney carried by the two high officials will be meaningless.

Soeharto has stated that if there is money at a foreign bank in his name, there must be somebody discrediting him. There are two things to be noted from the statement.

First, apparently, deep in his heart, the former president cannot lie that he has, indeed, money abroad. Second, is it possible that somebody just gave him US$9 billion?

In relation with the above, and as suggested by a number of people, it should be first determined that Soeharto is a suspect. Only then will Habibie's two envoys depart for overseas.

TATANG BILLY PADMADIWIRJA

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