Tommy ruling leaves people sour

Tommy ruling leaves people sour

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The controversial move of the Supreme Court to declare former
president Soeharto's fugitive son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra
not guilty upset some people on the street amid fears that the
decision might reincite anti-Soeharto protest movements.

Noerhadi, 33, a parking attendant at Jl. Kebon Sirih, Central
Jakarta, said he was quite surprised to learn that the court had
annulled its earlier conviction and 18-month prison sentence on
Tommy.

He said the police would find it difficult to uphold security
if such protest movements arose, given that the police were still
working hard on many unresolved cases, including a spate of
bombings in Jakarta, which had also been linked to Tommy.

"How could the Supreme Court annul its earlier ruling ... ?
There must be something wrong," he questioned.

Widya, 54, owner of a food stall at Jatinegara market, East
Jakarta, had a similar concern, suspecting that there must have
been manipulation involved in the decision-making process.

"Tommy can easily manipulate anything with his money," Widya
said.

Ramli, 56, who sells plants in front of the Senayan sports
center, also said that any judgment should take into account the
sentiments of ordinary people.