'Soeharto's wealth could be traced'
JAKARTA (JP): Legal experts have stressed that only the police and the Attorney General's Office have the authority to investigate the wealth of former president Soeharto and his family, which many believe to have been amassed through abuses of power.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra, a professor of law at the Jakarta-based University of Indonesia, and Solly Lubis of North Sumatra University in Medan, said separately that unless handled well, the matter could tarnish Indonesia's international image.
Yusril, however, stressed that any investigation into Soeharto's wealth should be done "humanely" and in accordance with the law.
"I am of the opinion that the investigation should be carried out in accordance with due legal procedures. It should not be done in inhumane ways," he said in a dialog with students in Jambi yesterday. He did not elaborate.
Contrary to some people's opinions, he said, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) did not have the authority to investigate the wealth of Soeharto, his children and grandchildren, which some estimate at about US$40 billion.
The tasks of the Assembly were to establish the state policy guidelines and to appoint and dismiss a president, Yusril said.
Soeharto did not give an account of his leadership to the Assembly following his resignation, but it did not mean he was exempted from a possible investigation into his and his family's wealth, said Yusril, who accompanied Soeharto in his last-ditch effort to save his presidency by drafting a committee for reform.
Only hours after the committee members were chosen, Soeharto decided he would resign because some of his ministers as well as the Armed Forces told him they no longer supported him.
"The issue (of Soeharto's wealth) could tarnish the image of the police and the Attorney General's Office if the two fail to investigate it," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
Yusril, who denied he was part of Soeharto's regime, said it was only the courts which had the competence to decide whether it was necessary to investigate Soeharto's wealth or not. "Let's await a court's verdict on the issue," he said.
Solly said Indonesia's image would be ruined if people just "robbed" Soeharto of his wealth without following legal procedures.
"It'd better for Soeharto and his family to voluntarily have their wealth audited and investigated," he said. "If they are found guilty... they could be jailed or made to pay fines, or their wealth could be seized by the state."
A similar call was made yesterday by the Association of Muhammadiyah Students, which said any investigation must be made while maintaining the principle of presumption of innocence.
Probosutedjo, Soeharto's half-brother, said recently that Soeharto and his family were ready to have their wealth audited in accordance with legal procedures.
Some public leaders, such as Amien Rais and Megawati Soekarnoputri, have asked for compassion for Soeharto. Amien, however, insisted that the Soehartos' wealth should be retrieved and returned to the nation.
Lubis said it would be possible for the people to pardon Soeharto "in a political manner" by having the People's Consultative Assembly formally forgive him in a special session.
"This is so the nation can understand why it should forgive him," Lubis said.
Many groups of workers and students have demanded the MPR hold a special session to ask for Soeharto's accountability, including an explanation of his wealth. (rms)