Soeharto not articulate enough

Soeharto not articulate enough

Nothing new or special was announced in the latest reports on (former president) Soeharto's health by the Attorney General's Office on Monday.

The team of (Soeharto's) doctors said that the former strong man could not communicate normally. He could not put together long sentences, according to the doctors.

However, the doctors did not suggest or conclude whether or not Soeharto could stand trial, as they have no legal right to do that. It is the Attorney General's Office which has the authority to decide if Soeharto is ready for trials.

The legal proceedings against Soeharto have been like a complicated opera. He has been questioned many times, but in the end, all the legal proceedings have failed.

Even if the current trial against him could run smoothly, the problem would not be solved completely because he was charged only for alleged corruption through the seven foundations he headed.

He was not charged with power abuse or violations of human rights or other greater offenses.

There must be a legal breakthrough to deal with Soeharto's case properly. If this legal mess continues to linger without any solution it would confuse people and cause even further apathy about our judicial system.

--Koran Tempo, Jakarta