Indonesia: Police Step Up Efforts To Flush Out Tommy
by Kazi Mahmood
JAKARTA (IslamOnline) - Indonesian authorities have stepped up the manhunt for former strongman Suharto's youngest son. Their failure to capture the fleeing businessman has made Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid uneasy with growing street protests calling for his resignation.
Local police have not given any deadline on when they expect Tommy Suharto to be captured and jailed.
They plan to seize his properties throughout Jakarta and subpoena his wife to testify on Monday. However, they are facing an uphill battle with Tommy still invisible and serious legal problems forcing them to leave the millionaire’s numerous properties untouched.
Wahid returned from Brunei on Thursday after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
He reiterated his deep disappointment at the security apparatus' continued failure to find Hutomo “Tommy” Mandala Putra, a fugitive from the law since the beginning of the month.
"The performance of all personnel involved in this matter will be evaluated ... negligence of duty will have consequences,'' he told reporters. For Wahid, the capture and jailing of Tommy is of utmost political importance.
Attorney-General Marzuki Darusman and National Police Chief S. Bimantoro are among those in the hot seat after their men bungled Tommy's prosecution.
They said they were not behind those protecting Tommy, adding that big business conglomerates in the country might have assisted Tommy in his run from justice.
Leading legislators and observers have also criticized the two senior officials after it became clear that the police were negligent in keeping tabs on Tommy prior to the issuance of his arrest orders.
The authorities have now responded by turning on the fugitive's young wife and the rest of the Suharto family.
In a landmark move against the former First Family, prosecutors intend to take possession of Tommy's 22 properties scattered throughout the capital.
This will be used as collateral against the $3.3 million (S$5.74 million) fine that the Supreme Court imposed on Tommy, along with his 18-month jail sentence.
They also confiscated a home, located in the Suharto family's Cendana complex, belonging to both Tommy and his wife, Ardhia ""Tata'' Regita Cahyania, earlier this week.
The police also announced yesterday their intentions to question Ardhia over her husband's whereabouts. She is said to have signed a deal with the police guaranteeing them that Tommy will not evade them and would surrender.
Since the signing of that deal, Tommy disappeared, becoming a mystery, and the most talked about saga in the Indonesian capital.
