Jakarta – Former Indonesian president Suharto is to sue popular reform politician Amien Rais and two other people for defamation, a report said Saturday

"Pak Harto (a popular appelation for Suharto) can no longer stand it, being insulted by those figures," Suharto lawyer Muhammad Assegaf was quoted by the Media Indonesia daily as saying.

"Pak Harto feels his good name has been sullied and the best way out is to bring this [case] to court."

Assegaf said in Surabaya, East Java, on Friday that the suits would be directed against Rais, academic George Adicondro and economist Christianto Wibisono.

Rais has repeatedly accused Suharto of corruption, graft and collusion while he was president. He has also claimed members of Suharto family have offered him huge sums of money to draw him into their political sphere.

Adicondro, currently holding a research post at a university in Australia, has accussed the former president and his family of having plundered the country during Suharto's 32 year rule and listed many of their possessions abroad.

Wibisono, who moved to the United States following anti-ethnic Chinese violence here last year, has claimed he has evidence that Suharto's wealth here and abroad ran into the billions of dollars.

Assegaf said plans to take the three to court had been discussed by Suharto and a team of lawyers. "Suharto will demand the legal accountability of these individuals who have accused him," Assegaf said, without saying when legal action would be filed.

But Assegaf said he would not handle the suit against Rais because he was a member of the advisory council of the People's Mandate Party (PAN) headed by the politician.