When will Soeharto case be settled?
When will Soeharto case be settled?
From Pikiran Rakyat
From the time Soeharto stepped down from his presidential seat in May 1998, an occasion which ushered in the reform era, there have been many demands that Soeharto be brought to court. When Soeharto was in power, corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) were rampant and these practices were very obvious to anybody.
It is true that there was an intention to uncover all Soeharto's cases related to (KKN) during Habibie's era and that such an intention is also shown by the present administration of President Abdurrahman Wahid. Unfortunately, certain influential hands must have prevented all these cases from being exposed. It has been almost two years now since Soeharto ended his New Order regime but, ridiculously, an investigation into his cases is still far from being completed. Ironically, those assigned to carry out the investigation are professionals in their areas.
Indeed, it has always been indicated that Soeharto, known for his fatherly smile, is in the wrong but when it comes to the judicial process. A host of reasons will be offered, such as health reasons and weak evidence.
Waiting is the most boring thing to do. Likewise, the judicial process of Soeharto's case is also boring. It is true that Attorney General Marzuki Darusman has handled Soeharto's case well enough. Soeharto, for example, has been declared under house arrest. The attorney general has also stated his desire to settle this case as soon as possible. This certainly calls for thumbs- up. However, the people's patience is running out now. Will this case ever be judicially settled at all or will it be settled by the people's court?
This is a point worth wondering about. Can Soeharto, Indonesia's former number one man, ever be touched at all, either by a court of law or by a people's court? Even recent action taken by university students as this country's agents of change to press for Soeharto's trial by the people has virtually come to naught.
So, our hope is pinned on the Attorney General's Office. This office must be really serious in handling this case as otherwise it will just be a dark number.
The most important thing in this regard is the willingness of Soeharto himself to wisely confess that he has committed mistakes and that he is willing to bear all the consequences. He has to admit that what is wrong is wrong and what is right will remain right, and not the other way around. Do not let the accumulation of the people's discontent snowball.
DYAH SARININGSIH
Purwokerto, Central Java