Soeharto visits wife's grave in Central Java
Soeharto visits wife's grave in Central Java
KARANGANYAR, Central Java (JP): For the first time since
suffering his second stroke in August, former president Soeharto
made a brief public appearance to visit the grave of his late
wife on Sunday.
With a cane in his hand, a pale but healthy looking Soeharto
was able to walk the steps of the specially built grave site for
former first lady Siti Hartinah.
Onlookers were shunned from the compound while journalists
were only allowed to watch from a distance.
Soeharto's lawyer, Juan Felix Tampubolon, said Soeharto was
accompanied by his children -- Siti Hardiyanti "Tutut" Indra
Rukmana, Bambang Trihatmodjo, Sigit Hardjojudanto, and Siti
Hutami "Mamiek" Endang Adiningsih -- and their spouses on the
trip.
"The trip has been planned for weeks. The family do not want
to make it public as this is a very private family matter, but
nor do they want to hide it from the public," Juan, who was part
of the president's entourage, told The Jakarta Post from
Surakarta.
"They just want to live a normal life," he added.
Since his second stroke, Soeharto has lived in relative
seclusion at his home on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.
There has been speculation about his real condition, with many
people saying he can no longer talk and his health is weak.
Juan said on Sunday that the president's health was improving
despite relative communication difficulties.
"I'm not a doctor, but from my observations he can walk, sit
down and perform sholat (Muslim prayers), however it does seem
difficult and takes some effort to do those things. That's what I
can physically see," he disclosed.
"What I'm extremely concerned about is that he can no longer
communicate properly. He can't even say a good sentence anymore."
Soeharto and his entourage arrived by chartered airplane at
Adisumarmo airport in Surakarta on Saturday afternoon, and from
there went to the family home in Kalitan.
On Sunday morning the former first family headed to the family
mausoleum Astana Giri Bangun in Karanganyar, about a thirty-
minute drive east of Surakarta where the former first lady was
buried in 1996.
Soeharto rode a metallic blue Caravel Volkswagen van driven by
his son Bambang Trihatmodjo.
Upon their arrival, Soeharto was seen getting out of the van
unassisted.
Visiting the grave of family members is part of Javanese
tradition ahead of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadhan, due to
begin on Dec. 9.
The 78-year-old Soeharto scattered flowers on the grave of his
wife and attended a recital of Koranic verses. Later he also took
part in noon prayers before heading back to Kalitan.
Also part of the entourage was a member of his medical team,
Hari Sabardi, who told journalists that Soeharto was considered
healthy for his age.
He said doctors continuously monitor Soeharto's health.
"We check his weight everyday as it cannot be less or over,"
he said.
Hari, who previously held a rank of brigadier general, said
Soeharto spends two hours in daily exercises after the subuh
(predawn) prayer.
He also goes for monthly medical checkups at Pertamina
Hospital.
In Jakarta, Soeharto's half brother, Probosutedjo, called on
the government on Saturday to thoroughly and transparently
resolve investigations of alleged corruption by the former
president.
He said statements by President Abdurrahman Wahid saying that
he preferred giving Soeharto amnesty rather have him face trial
violated the principles of the presumption of innocence.
"If he is innocent and not guilty of anything, why should he
be given amnesty?," Probosutedjo said.
"Prove the guilt first," he said, adding that he had
personally met Abdurrahman twice seeking clarification on the
president's statement.
According to Probosutedjo, during the meeting, which was also
attended by Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, Abdurrahman
qualified his statement that amnesty could be considered if
investigations found Soeharto guilty.
Probosutedjo did not say when these meetings took
place. (har/44/emf)