Switzerland ready to help Indonesia, ambassador says

JAKARTA (JP): Switzerland is willing to assist Indonesia in its search for illegal wealth allegedly stashed by corrupt Indonesian officials in Swiss banks, Swiss Ambassador Hemr Gerald Forjalliz said here on Wednesday.

The envoy was quoted by Antara as telling Minister of Justice Muladi in a meeting here that an Indonesian official, however, must first be declared a suspect before the Swiss government would allow an investigation into his or her bank accounts.

Muladi conceded that prudence is important to foreign banks.

"Before (an official) becomes a suspect, a bank will not disclose (the official's) wealth," he said.

On the manhunt for Eddy Tansil, Muladi said a team was continuing to trace the whereabouts of the businessman who was serving a 20 year jail term for embezzling Rp 1.3 trillion from a state bank when he escaped in 1996.

Tansil was reportedly found in China running a beer brewery.

"The team was formed after Tansil's escape and is led by the justice minister and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Intelligence Coordinating Board," Muladi said, adding that the government should form extradition treaties with Singapore, Hong Kong and China.

Separately, politician Amien Rais on Wednesday renewed his call for former president Soeharto to publicly apologize for abuse of power during his 32-year rule, and to return the wealth that he obtained through corruption.

"I think Pak Harto needs to apologize. Indonesians will accept his apology. If he does not (apologize), the people will continue to condemn him and his children and grandchildren," Amien was quoted by Antara as saying after attending a seminar on the environment.

"A public apology is needed because he (Soeharto) abused the power that the people granted to him for more than three decades," he added.

Amien also said that Soeharto should follow up his apology with a pledge to return to the state the wealth he and his children accumulated through corruption.

"If he takes this step, I am pretty sure that our nation will accept his apology," he said.

Amien, however, pointed out that Soeharto seems to have opted to take the matter to court rather than agreeing to an out of court settlement.

Law enforcers must pursue Soeharto's case seriously, fairly, transparently and honestly, no matter how long this takes, he said.

Amien also cited the experience of the Philippine government in dealing with the corruption case brought against the late president Ferdinand Marcos.

"Look at the Marcos' case. It is still not fully solved after 12 years," he said, adding that like Marcos' children and other family members, the Soehartos will continue to be hounded until the case is resolved. (imn/swe)