Soeharto rushed to hospital as health worsens

Soeharto rushed to hospital as health worsens

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ailing former president Soeharto's health took a turn for the
worse on Monday, prompting his family to rush him to Pertamina
hospital in South Jakarta for treatment.

Soeharto, whose youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra is
in police detention on murder and other charges, was taken from
his residence on Jl. Cendana No. 10 in the upmarket Menteng area
in Central Jakarta by an ambulance already standing by in case he
needed to be hospitalized.

One of Soeharto's aides, who asked not to be named, explained
that the decision to hospitalize the former president was taken
in a meeting between his team of doctors and members of his
family at 5 p.m.

"Soeharto's condition worsened due to the high fever he has
suffered over the last three days," the aide said.

The 80-year-old ex-general was conscious when he was wheeled
into the hospital at 8 p.m. with an intravenous drip attached to
his nose.

He was accompanied to the hospital by three of his children --
Sigit Hardjojudanto, Endang Hutami Adiningsih and Siti Hardiyanti
Rukmana -- and his granddaughter Eno Sigit, as well as one of his
private cardiologists, Juniarti Hatta.

Soeharto's deteriorating health was apparently caused by his
insistence on continuing to fast during Ramadhan, which ended on
Sunday, despite his old age.

He was later admitted to one of the VIP rooms on the
hospital's sixth floor.

Charged with amassing a multibillion dollar fortune during his
32-year rule, Soeharto has suffered several strokes since being
toppled from the presidency in May 1998 after mass
demonstrations.

He was so ill that he could not attend Idul Fitri prayers on
Sunday at his residence, where only a few people took part.

Meanwhile, Tommy, who is now in police custody after being on
the run for more than a year, did not participate in the Idul
Fitri celebrations with Soeharto's extended family at the Cendana
residence on Sunday, as police did not give him permission to go.

Instead, he performed the Idul Fitri prayers at the compound
of the detention center of the Jakarta Police.

"We only allowed Tommy a visit from his family at the
detention center," said Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan
Jacoeb after Idul Fitri prayers at the Jakarta Police
Headquarters.

Tommy's wife, Ardhia Pramesti "Tata" Regita Cahyani, visited
Tommy, along with his sister Hutami Endang Adiningsih and his two
children, Dharma and Radiyana. Elza Sigit, Eno Sigit, and Tata's
sisters were also observed in the entourage.

Tata made no comment to the reporters who jostled and
bombarded her with many questions in front of the police
detention center.

Sofjan subsequently gave permission for Tommy to visit his
father on Monday.

"We give the permission for 'humanitarian reasons', as his
father is in a critical condition," he said.

However, Tommy refused to take up the offer as the police
demanded that he be handcuffed, Sofjan said.