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)