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Fund misuse: Suharto's children to be questioned

JAKARTA: Two of former Indonesian president Suharto's children will be questioned by prosecutors early next week over alleged misuse of funds from charitable foundations once controlled by their father, a lawyer said on Saturday.

Suharto's eldest son, Bambang Trihatmojo, and eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, known as Tutut, will be questioned at the attorney general's office on Tuesday as witnesses, said Juan Felix Tampubolon, one of Suharto's lawyers.

"The two were summoned for questioning as witnesses on Tuesday in relation to charitable foundations owned by Suharto," Tampubolon told AFP.

Both Trihatmojo and Tutut served as treasurers on two of the foundations controlled by Suharto before the former autocrat stepped down in May of 1998 amid widespread protests and riots.

Suharto has been declared a suspect in an investigation by the attorney general's office into allegations of corruption during his 32 years in power and this week was barred from travelling both outside Jakarta and abroad.

But Tampubolon said Suharto had not been notified of his new status as the family felt the news would certainly "shock him" and possibly endanger his health.

THE RISK IS TOO HIGH

Suharto, 78, has been questioned on the graft charges once at his home since Attorney General Darusman reopened the inquiry against him in December. But the questioning session on April 3 had to be abruptly halted on the advice of a team of doctors present, who said Suharto's blood pressure rose and his heart began beating irregularly.

A second session on Monday was cancelled after a medical examination by a joint team of doctors concluded that Suharto was not fit enough to face a grilling.

Officials from the attorney general's office have said at least two or three question sessions will be needed.

Lawyers for Suharto have cited his ill health and inability to communicate property as reasons for his not answering three summons sent since February for him to appear for questioning at the attorney general's office.

But Tampubolon said despite his ill health, Suharto would not seek medical treatment abroad.

"Suharto had repeatedly said he will not seek medical treatment abroad. There have been some offers for medical treatment overseas but they were rejected," the lawyer said.

But he said the travel ban and the city arrest status imposed on Suharto would not help speed up the investigation.

"The issue is not whether he would flee abroad, destroy evidence or commit other crimes again, but his health," Tampubolon said.

'It's only his recovery that would smoothen the investigation." 'He could have fled this country if he had wanted. He's a former president, a great general. It could have been easy," he said.

Tampubolon said another questioning session would have to wait for the results of a medical examination on Suharto by government doctors "soon."ÑAFP