Several organizations of rights activists and students on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against longest-serving president Soeharto who they accused had abused his power to enrich his family.
During 32 years in power, "Soeharto has issued some 500 decrees, 79 of which were troublesome and 30 indicated corruption," said Judilherry Justam who co-founded the Alliance to Try Soeharto.
The decrees, for instance, exempted import duty on cars bought by a taxi company of his daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana and automotive company Timor Putra Nasional owned by his youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra, Justam told reporters at the national police headquarters here.
Soeharto also has ordered banks to disburse soft loans for companies run by his children and cronies, including golf buddy Bob Hasan, who has now completed a jail term for graft.
Soeharto, who turned 86 in June, resigned in May 1998 after nationwide protests against his corrupt regime and has since been living quietly at his private residence in Central Jakarta.
The Attorney General's Office (AGO) last month announced a plan to bring the graft case of his foundations to the commercial court after attempts to try in the criminal court failed because the former dictator has been declared medically unfit for trials.
Prosecutors said earlier they would target the Supersemar Foundation that allegedly has obliged all state banks to donate at least 5 percent of their net profit for social donations since it was founded in 1976.
It turned out that the foundation has donated to companies run by his children and Golkar Party that became Soeharto's political vehicle during 32 years in power.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article