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Indonesia prepares for death of 86-year-old Suharto

Hutomo ''Tommy'' Mandala Putra, the youngest son of former Indonesian president Suharto, is mobbed by journalists at Pertamina Hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Friday. PHOTO: AP

The health of the Indonesian ex-dictator Suharto improved yesterday, a day after he suffered multiple organ failure, as the government said it wanted to settle a graft case against him out of court.

The 86-year-old former president, who stepped down a decade ago after 32 years of often brutal rule in the world's fourth most populous nation, was admitted to hospital on Jan. 4 with heart, kidney and lung problems.

His condition has since fluctuated before dramatically worsening on Friday evening, when he was connected to a ventilator to stay alive.

But Marjo Soebiandono, one of the doctors in the large team of experts assembled to treat Suharto, said that as of 8am yesterday, the patient's general condition was "better" and that he had regained consciousness.

"When I asked him whether it hurt, he shook his head," he said, adding however that he showed signs of infection in his lungs and his hemoglobin levels were falling.

"The team of doctors will continue to make intensive efforts to improve his general condition by giving blood transfusions, medication for his lung infection and balancing the liquids in his body," he said at a briefing.

Meanwhile, the attorney general announced that the government wanted to settle a pending civil corruption case against Suharto -- who is accused of massive graft while in power -- with his family out of court.

"We have offered a deal to Suharto's family ... that the civil case will be settled out of the court," Attorney General Hendarman Supanji said, adding that the family, represented by Suharto's eldest daughter Tutut, would decide as soon as possible.

He said he had been ordered by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to make the approach. Under Indonesian law, if a defendant dies during such a civil suit, his or her family must instead defend the case.

A criminal case against Suharto was abandoned in 2006 due to his persistent poor health but the civil suit, launched last year, was seeking US$1.4 billion in damages and returned stolen assets skimmed off the foundation.

Suharto's allies called earlier in the week for the case to be abandoned but they were rebuffed by the attorney general.

Suharto has been called the 20th century's worst kleptocrats but has rejected allegations that he and his family were sitting on a fortune of between US$15 billion and US$35 billion.

Investigations into several other charitable foundations that Suharto chaired have been ongoing. It was not clear whether these would continue.

Yudhoyono himself rushed back to the country yesterday from Malaysia, where he cut short an official visit by several hours.

The president was briefed at Halim airbase on his return by a member of the team of doctors who treated Suharto, Christian Johannes, a news agency reported.

Indonesian Vice President Yusuf Kalla went to Suharto's side on Friday, joining the ex-strongman's six children and his extended family. In Yudhoyono's absence, Kalla would have been authorized to announce his death, according to protocol.

In Central Java's Solo, where Suharto's family graves lie, identification cards have reportedly been prepared for the media to cover his eventual funeral.

"This is just in anticipation ... because we see what conditions are like," said the district military command's spokesman, Baso Syukri, according to online news portal Detikcom.

TV showed footage of soldiers and workers scurrying to ready the area surrounding the grave.
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