Indonesia's Suharto, Golf Buddy Face Probe for Corruption
12/8/98
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Title: Indonesia's Suharto, Golf Buddy Face Probe for Corruption
Source: Reuters
Status: Copyrighted, contact source to reprint
Date: 12/8/98
Byline: Terry Friel
JAKARTA, Indonesia (Reuters) - Hundreds of Indonesian students protested
in the streets of Jakarta Tuesday demanding former president Suharto face
corruption charges, on the eve of an official interrogation of the former
leader.
Students held several small-scale demonstrations in their drive to press
President B.J. Habibie to put Suharto on trial over allegations of
corruption and human rights abuses during his 32-year rule.
Suharto, a virtual recluse since he was forced out of office in May amid
political and economic turmoil, is due to make a rare trip from his home
when he goes to Attorney-General Andi Muhammad Ghalib's office for
questioning Wednesday.
Two of Suharto's friends, Mohamad ``Bob'' Hasan and Tunky Ariwibowo, both
former trade and industry ministers, also face questioning as part of the
attorney-general's probe into Suharto's wealth.
Hasan, dubbed Indonesia's ``timber king'' because of his huge forest
concessions, is due to be questioned Wednesday over the use of an official
reforestation fund.
Hasan is one of Suharto's close friends and a long-time golf partner.
Ariwibowo was questioned Tuesday over his links with the now-discredited
national car company PT Timor Putra Nasional.
The company was controlled by Suharto's youngest son, Hutomo ``Tommy''
Mandala Putra and received special tax concessions.
He told reporters after the six-hour interrogation that he had been asked
about his term as trade and industry minister from 1993 to 1998. But he
gave no further details.
Ghalib also questioned Hadiyanto, treasurer of the Dharmais charity
controlled by Suharto until he handed it and six more charities over to
the government last month.
Hadiyanto told reporters he had done nothing wrong.
``I swear in the name of God that I did not spend any of the charity's
money for my own interest,'' he said.
The attorney-general has also summoned Beddu Amang, former head of the
state commodities regulator Bulog, over the building of a warehouse
complex.
Investigations by Ghalib's office have so far uncovered local bank
accounts worth $3.0 million held by the 77-year-old Suharto.
Suharto told the latest issue of a magazine run by the Dharmais charity
that he was a good saver and that the money was from his presidential
salary and rent from two houses.
Analysts estimate Suharto and his family built up a personal fortune worth
billions of dollars during his army-backed rule.
Tuesday's protests against Suharto were peaceful. But more than 100 people
armed with swords and metal bars tried to storm the Catholic University of
Indonesia and were foiled by students guarding the campus.
Indonesia has been rocked by violence for much of this year as political,
ethnic and religious tensions erupted as the world's fourth most populous
nation grapples with its worst political and economic crises in decades.
State Secretary Akbar Tandjung said Tuesday that a special security
council, comprising President Habibie, senior ministers and religious
leaders, was formed in November to oversee the maintenance of law and
order.
``The council is assigned to control and coordinate action to prevent
crises that could destabilize our country,'' he told reporters.
Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.