|
Indonesia: Wahid Rules As Courts Reopens Suharto Case
by Kazi Mahmood
JAKARTA (IslamOnline) - In a sudden twist that could probably lead to the survival of Abdurrahman Wahid’s government in Indonesia, a court in Jakarta has ruled that the case of former leader, General Suharto, is still on and would be reopened soon.
The appeals court yesterday ordered a resumption of the trial of former president Suharto just months after he was declared medically unfit to stand trial on corruption charges. Observers believe that there is the hand of the highest authorities in the resumption of the old leader's case.
In another attempt to regain the political mileage lost by the leadership of Wahid recently, the President has officially ordered the arrest of the youngest son of Suharto, Tommy Hutomo.
The failure by the police since last Friday to find the elusive son of the former leader has drawn an angry response from Wahid, whose government has been under domestic and international pressure to tackle the two cases which are as important tests of Jakarta's resolve to tackle corruption.
Presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar said Abdurrahman "wants to get signals out that he will act against the Suharto family''.
Notwithstanding the failure to arrest Hutomo, observers said the President had silenced his critics somewhat and raised his political standing by keeping the trial alive.
The case against Suharto senior, which involved the misuse of more than $500 million from seven tax-free foundations he ran, had to resume even if the former leader failed to appear at the hearing.
Suharto did not turn up for any of the three sessions of his earlier trial, which had been criticized, and tainted the legal system's credibility. Other observers viewed the insistence of the government to bring the old man to court as an obsessive means of political survival.
They also said the heavy criticism of the South Jakarta court which set the former leader free was interference in the judiciary of the country.
Prosecutors are arguing that the earlier decision by the lower court did not reflect the full extent of the law. It is said that the law requires the ailing leader Suharto to be hospitalized or permanently unfit which is not the case, IslamOnline was told.
The Suharto family is proving to be a very hard nut to crack by the reformist regime in Jakarta and its future seems to be dependent on the taming of this powerful and rich family.
Street protests had been on the increase against the Wahid administration, whereas calls for the resignation of Wahid as president is dividing the country's two largest Islamic organizations, the Muhamadiyah and the Nladhatul Ulama of Wahid.
There are fears that a complete failure to deal with the Suhartos might bring the country into further chaos.
General Suharto’s son, a multimillionaire in Jakarta who is involved in almost all of the big businesses in the country, is on the run. He has been declared a fugitive and the police have searched all the houses belonging to the Suharto family.
Tommy’s lawyers have denied knowledge of where he is hiding and have withdrawn from negotiations with the police and prosecutors. They were negotiating on the security at the prison where Tommy is supposed to spend the 18 months jail sentence after being charged for a $11 million land scam.
Tommy said he received death threats from inmates and wanted his lawyers to accompany him inside the jail in case he surrenders to the police in Jakarta. Since then Tommy has remained silent and has refused to surrender.
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said Wahid was "unhappy because Tommy is not ignoring the law but is also showing defiance by offering a deal.''.
Lawyers for the multimillionaire yesterday also applied for a review of the Supreme Court verdict.
Separately, Suharto senior’s lawyers lost no time attacking the Jakarta court's decision to reopen his case.
|
