Soeharto's health improving, aides say

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Former dictator Soeharto was reported on Sunday to be recuperating from an illness four days after being admitted to the state Pertamina Hospital.

Numerous former government officials, who paid visits to Soeharto's room in the "VVIP section" on the hospital's sixth floor, confirmed that the former president's condition was improving.

"Pak Harto's condition is getting better. He could talk and recognize me," Bismar Siregar, a former judge at the Supreme Court, said as quoted by Antara.

When asked whether Soeharto's illness was part of any new escape from answering to outstanding corruption cases involving the 83-year-old former strongman, Bismar said, "God forgives, why can't humans?"

The hospital has issued no statements about Soeharto's condition. However, his lawyer, Mohammad Assegaf, said his client was hospitalized in connection with his anemia.

Assegaf said the hospital was scheduled to hold a news conference on Monday about Soeharto's health.

The lawyer, who also acts for elderly Muslim cleric and convicted terror suspect Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, said Soeharto's health condition was stable and that his life was not in danger.

Former Army chief of staff Gen. (ret) Wismoyo Arismunandar, who spent almost an hour inside Soeharto's hospital room, said Soeharto's blood-iron levels, which had been low, were improving.

Business tycoon and Soeharto's former golfing buddy Muhammad "Bob" Hasan, who was earlier jailed for six years for corruption offenses, also visited the former president.

"I came here for a medical checkup," Hasan said when appearing out of the hospital, where he underwent a hernia operation last Wednesday.

Other visitors included Minister of Religious Affairs M. Maftuh Basyuni and former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, who was one of Soeharto's staunchest critics.

Ali told the waiting journalists outside Soeharto's room that when he came in, the former autocrat was asleep and accompanied by his two daughters, Siti "Tutut" Hardiyanti Rukmana and Siti Hedijati.

Ali said he did not know what illness Soeharto was suffering from.

Nor did his family know when Soeharto would be discharged from the hospital, Ali added.

He said his former political opponent was no longer hooked up to blood transfusion equipment.

Ali recalled that he met Soeharto for the last time last month when the two attended an anniversary celebration of the Indonesia in Miniature Park (Taman Mini) founded by his late wife, Tien Soeharto.

During that event, Soeharto appeared healthy and was able to walk unaided accompanied by several adjutants, along with his daughters and other guests.

Soeharto, who ruled Indonesia for 32 years, has suffered a number of health problems, including two strokes since being forced to resign in 1998.

He was indicted for alleged corruption but a panel of judges ruled he was unfit to stand trial because of health reasons.

Doctors said Soeharto had suffered brain damage following several strokes and claimed memory lapses and a speech impediment meant he could not answer prosecutors' questions.