Soeharto's health improving, aides say

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.