Soeharto told to stay in hospital

Soeharto told to stay in hospital

JAKARTA (JP): Doctors have told former president Soeharto to
spend five to six days at Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta to
recover from his mild stroke, hospital director Sudjono
Martoatmodjo announced on Wednesday.

"For his recovery, the doctors want him to stay here at the
hospital for five or six more days," he told a press conference
at the hospital.

According to Sudjono, the 78-year-old former ruler is
conscious and his condition has been "improving".

"His chances of recovering from his illness are more than 50
percent."

Soeharto is able to communicate with other people, he said.

Sudjono's announcement put to rest some of the speculation
over the former autocrat's health.

When Soeharto was rushed to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon,
hospital spokesman Syahrir Mohammad and many of Soeharto's close
relatives and friends repeatedly said that he was at the hospital
merely for a "routine general check up".

According to Sudjono, the doctors have not yet allowed their
patient to sit or receive any of his guests.

"He needs a rest," he explained.

The hospital's director said a CT scan had revealed a clogged
blood vessel in the former strongman's brain. Soeharto had
complained of headaches.

The team of doctors, led by cardiologist Ibrahim Ginting and
including neurosurgeon Satyanagara and neurologists Joko Rahardjo
and Teguh Pranakusuma, would try to expedite the blood flow in
the blood vessel, he said.

"It's not a blood vessel bleeding, but only a clog. It doesn't
need surgery."

Stating the former strongman's age as one of the main factors
of his illness, Sudjono believed that "most mild stroke sufferers
recover".

"Several factors that caused the mild stroke include age, high
blood pressure, the smoking habit and psychological condition of
the patient," he said.

He added that people suffering from light strokes caused by
psychological factors would only need about one week to recover.

Although Soeharto's illness was still the top issue of the day
in the country on Wednesday, it had almost no effect on financial
markets. The rupiah remained stable against other currencies.

During his second day in the VVIP room on the sixth floor of
the hospital on Wednesday, crowds of reporters stood vigil
outside the hospital as well-wishers and flower deliveries were
ushered in through a separate door.

Among them were leading politicians, including some long-term
critics of the former strongman, such as Amien Rais and Kwik Kian
Gie.

However, many people were not given access by Soeharto's close
aides to meet the former iron-fisted ruler.

According to Kwik, now an executive of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), he did not expect to see
Soeharto but merely wanted to deliver his sympathy through his
aides.

"It happens that I know his children well so I come to send my
wishes," Kwik said as he left the hospital.

Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said
he expected the former president to be well soon.

"I hope that he'll soon recover and help settle the problems
of the nation," Amien told reporters later at the Muhammadiyah
Muslim organization secretariat on Jl. Menteng Raya in Central
Jakarta.

However, he implied that Soeharto should ask for the public's
forgiveness for all his past mistakes.

"Half of the problems can be settled if he asks for
forgiveness from the people," he said.

Even controversial figure Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the
largest Muslim organization Nadhlatul Ulama, who still has a
close relationship with Soeharto, was not allowed to meet with
the former president.

Among the great number of figures that showed up at the
hospital on Wednesday were former president Try Sutrisno,
Palestine Ambassador to Indonesia Ribhi Y. Awad, education expert
Arief Rahman, former coordinating minister for defense and
security M. Panggabean, Minister of Transmigration and
Resettlement of Forest Squatters A.M. Hendro Priyono,
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty
Eradication Haryono Suyono, former Indonesian police chief Gen.
Dibyo Widodo, former Army chief of staff Gen. Wismoyo
Arismunandar, former National Logistics Agency (Bulog) chief
Beddu Amang, and former attorney general Singgih.

Security remained tight at the hospital's B block building.

Murya, a patient scheduled to undergo a thyroid scan, was
prevented by security guards from entering the scanning room. He
eventually was able to enter only after an official escorted him
through another door.

Soeharto went to Germany in 1996 for a medical checkup. He
also had special treatment in 1994 after his presidential medical
team found a urinary tract problem.

Limited access to verify Soeharto's health status sparked
rumors in the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Wednesday
that the former president had died in the morning.

Soenarka, a KPU member from the New Masyumi Party, spread news
to journalists and other KPU members that Soeharto had died,
during a commission plenary meeting to discuss the appointment of
regional representatives to the People's Consultative Assembly.

The commission plenary meeting was abruptly adjourned for five
minutes to allow the KPU members express their condolences to the
former president. (asa/emf/imn)