By Eliswan Azly
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The issue on an intiative and appeal from certain elements in the country to pardon former president HM Soeharto who is currently lying in bed at the Pertamina hospital in Jakarta for a serious illness has come under public sportlight in Indonesia.
Some elements have urged the government to drop corruption charges against the former New Order era strongman because of his serious illness.
A noted political analyst, Ryaas Rasyid, said former President Soeharto who has been hospitalized since Friday, deserved to be pardoned.
"As a leader who had contributed meritorious services during his term, Soeharto has the right to be pardoned," he said after visiting the ailing ex-strongman at the Pertamina Central Hospital on Monday.
Earlier, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Agung Laksono said there was no need to continue the legal process against Soeharto for humanitarian considerations, as he had repeatedly fallen ill and hospitalized.
Former President Abdurrahman Wahid better known as Gus Dur also said, although Soeharto had made mistakes during his years in power, he had also contributed many great services to the state and nation.
According Ryaas, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in this context could pardon or instruct the relevant officials to issue an official judiciary letter containing a decision to drop the corruption charges against the former second Indonesian president.
"The initiatives could come from the President which was much the same with what Soeharto had made in settling predecessor Bung Karno without bringing him to justice," he said.
Ryaas said Yudhoyono could take a similar initiative like what Soeharto had taken in the past.
Seen from the political aspect, Soeharto was meritorious and made a great services during his past leadership," he said.
On the occasion, Ryaas also admitted that he had a close look at the ailing former president, his medical team limited the number of guests visiting Soeharto in view of his health condition.
Reality
In response to the appeal from many circlesto pardon the former president, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji on Monday said Soeharto`s corruption case had been closed with the issuance of an official judiciary letter (SKPP) containing a decision to drop corruption charges against him by the South Jakarta district court in May 2006.
"Based on Article 140, point 2 of the Criminal Code Procedures, the issuance of the SKPP meant the case was legally closed. A criminal case can be legally closed for reasons of death or outdatedness. Due to protracted illness, Soeharto`s case was deemed similar to those reasons and was approved by the court," the attorney general said.
The attorney general made the statement in response to a question raised by a reporter on the former president`s case at the Presidential Office here on Monday.
Supandji said that the SKPP proposal was submitted by a lawyers association in a pre-trial session to the South Jakarta district court which issued a ruling in favour of the SKPP in May 2006.
The prosecutors then appealed to a higher court over the South Jakarta district court`s ruling. But the Jakarta High Court confirmed the South Jakarta district court`s verdict.
"So, Soeharto`s case has been closed. What is still on is the lawsuit on his civil case which involves seven foundations he once chaired. In this case, the state is represented by state lawyers and Soeharto by his lawyers," Supandji said.
Rejection
With regard to a decision to drop corruption charges to this former President Soeharto, the Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) expressed their rejection of the idea to drop legal process against former president Soeharto because of humanitarian reasons, a spokesman said.
"Mistakes remain mistakes, The people who fell victim are also still suffering," Haris Azhar, head of Kontras`s impunity and institutional reform monitoring division, said.
Haris, however, denied that Soeharto had been of great service to the state, saying the good things Soeharto had done were merely part of his normal duties as president.
He said the suffering of the victims of Soeharto`s crimes committed when he was in power should not be fogotten and the legal process to bring Soeharto to justice must continue.
"Soeharto is sick, so is society. Besides, the government has not responded to the fate of Soeharto`s victims," he said.
He said the idea to forgive Soeharto and to stop the legal process against him was just a piece of "sentimentality politics" which was being exploited by certain politicians.
"There are people who are using the momentum of Soeharto`s illness to persuade society to forget his past crimes. But that is not possible. Whoever has committed a crime must be prosecuted and face the law," he said.
Soeharto was on Friday at 14.15 Western Indonesia Standard Time admitted to the Pertamna Hosptal in south Jakarta for intensive medical treatment after he had complained about feeling weak over a period of five days. (*)
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The issue on an intiative and appeal from certain elements in the country to pardon former president HM Soeharto who is currently lying in bed at the Pertamina hospital in Jakarta for a serious illness has come under public sportlight in Indonesia.
Some elements have urged the government to drop corruption charges against the former New Order era strongman because of his serious illness.
A noted political analyst, Ryaas Rasyid, said former President Soeharto who has been hospitalized since Friday, deserved to be pardoned.
"As a leader who had contributed meritorious services during his term, Soeharto has the right to be pardoned," he said after visiting the ailing ex-strongman at the Pertamina Central Hospital on Monday.
Earlier, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Agung Laksono said there was no need to continue the legal process against Soeharto for humanitarian considerations, as he had repeatedly fallen ill and hospitalized.
Former President Abdurrahman Wahid better known as Gus Dur also said, although Soeharto had made mistakes during his years in power, he had also contributed many great services to the state and nation.
According Ryaas, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in this context could pardon or instruct the relevant officials to issue an official judiciary letter containing a decision to drop the corruption charges against the former second Indonesian president.
"The initiatives could come from the President which was much the same with what Soeharto had made in settling predecessor Bung Karno without bringing him to justice," he said.
Ryaas said Yudhoyono could take a similar initiative like what Soeharto had taken in the past.
Seen from the political aspect, Soeharto was meritorious and made a great services during his past leadership," he said.
On the occasion, Ryaas also admitted that he had a close look at the ailing former president, his medical team limited the number of guests visiting Soeharto in view of his health condition.
Reality
In response to the appeal from many circlesto pardon the former president, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji on Monday said Soeharto`s corruption case had been closed with the issuance of an official judiciary letter (SKPP) containing a decision to drop corruption charges against him by the South Jakarta district court in May 2006.
"Based on Article 140, point 2 of the Criminal Code Procedures, the issuance of the SKPP meant the case was legally closed. A criminal case can be legally closed for reasons of death or outdatedness. Due to protracted illness, Soeharto`s case was deemed similar to those reasons and was approved by the court," the attorney general said.
The attorney general made the statement in response to a question raised by a reporter on the former president`s case at the Presidential Office here on Monday.
Supandji said that the SKPP proposal was submitted by a lawyers association in a pre-trial session to the South Jakarta district court which issued a ruling in favour of the SKPP in May 2006.
The prosecutors then appealed to a higher court over the South Jakarta district court`s ruling. But the Jakarta High Court confirmed the South Jakarta district court`s verdict.
"So, Soeharto`s case has been closed. What is still on is the lawsuit on his civil case which involves seven foundations he once chaired. In this case, the state is represented by state lawyers and Soeharto by his lawyers," Supandji said.
Rejection
With regard to a decision to drop corruption charges to this former President Soeharto, the Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) expressed their rejection of the idea to drop legal process against former president Soeharto because of humanitarian reasons, a spokesman said.
"Mistakes remain mistakes, The people who fell victim are also still suffering," Haris Azhar, head of Kontras`s impunity and institutional reform monitoring division, said.
Haris, however, denied that Soeharto had been of great service to the state, saying the good things Soeharto had done were merely part of his normal duties as president.
He said the suffering of the victims of Soeharto`s crimes committed when he was in power should not be fogotten and the legal process to bring Soeharto to justice must continue.
"Soeharto is sick, so is society. Besides, the government has not responded to the fate of Soeharto`s victims," he said.
He said the idea to forgive Soeharto and to stop the legal process against him was just a piece of "sentimentality politics" which was being exploited by certain politicians.
"There are people who are using the momentum of Soeharto`s illness to persuade society to forget his past crimes. But that is not possible. Whoever has committed a crime must be prosecuted and face the law," he said.
Soeharto was on Friday at 14.15 Western Indonesia Standard Time admitted to the Pertamna Hosptal in south Jakarta for intensive medical treatment after he had complained about feeling weak over a period of five days. (*)
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