'Time' magazine report 'cruel slander': Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto has called the cover story on the latest edition of Time magazine -- in which he is accused of amassing enormous wealth during his 32 years in power -- a cruel slander.

"I'm the person who knows most about the situation (his wealth). It's a lie," Soeharto said on Friday in his first public comment on this week's Time Asia edition.

"Slander is worse than murder. It's a crime and I have the right to take legal action," he said in remarks broadcast by RCTI, a private station owned by his son Bambang Trihatmodjo.

Time's cover story entitled Soeharto Inc. alleges that Soeharto and his family built up a fortune worth $15 billion during his 32 years in power. The sum includes $9 billion in funds said to have been transferred from Switzerland to Austria just days after Soeharto resigned on May 21, 1998.

Soeharto said he had taken the accusations against him in his stride.

"It is said that if a person accepts insults with patience, all his sins will be assumed by the person who makes them. I now have something for the hereafter," joked the former president, who turns 78 next month.

He denied rumors that he plans to flee the country.

"I won't run away. I was born in Indonesia and I'm going to die here. I won't run away and die abroad.

"My children and I will remain in Indonesia. No one is running away. They too will act like responsible citizens."

He made the remarks after Friday prayers at his Jl. Cendana residence in Central Jakarta. Since resigning last year, Soeharto has made a habit of joining the congregation at Bambang's Bimantara Building or at the mosque in Taman Mini Indonesia.

Soeharto has been questioned once by the Attorney General's Office in connection with allegations surrounding the source of his alleged wealth. There has been no follow up since then.

His lawyers have demanded that Time prove its claims or face criminal and civil legal action. The magazine has been given until Monday to respond to the demand.

The lawyers stressed that their client does not have any money abroad, but added that Soeharto's wealth must be distinguished from the wealth of his children.

Time's Hong Kong-based correspondent Jim Colmey said on Friday that the magazine stood by its story and denied there was an ulterior motive behind it.

"It's a great story. One of the last great stories in Asia in the second half of this century. We have no hidden motive for writing the story other than documenting facts to the best of our ability," Colmey said by phone from Hong Kong.

"We don't work for any party, or any government. There was no motive other than seeking the truth," he said.

Time Asia Editor Donald Morrison has written back to Soeharto's lawyers to inform them that the matter has been referred to the magazine's lawyers.

Colmey said all the information in the articles was carefully vetted by reporters involved in the project, the magazines editors, and the magazine's lawyers.

He said he realized the wealth of the former president and his family was an important story for Indonesia. "But I don't think we were expecting this much reaction."

Time's cover story has prompted the Attorney General's Office, which has a mandate to investigate Soeharto's wealth, to set up a special team to look into the magazine's claims.

Some politicians have also called on the government to use the Time article to help its investigation, while others said the government should file a lawsuit against the magazine, if only to bring out the truth about Soeharto's wealth. (emb)