Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Experts have criticized President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's call for the public to quit debates around the legal status of former president Soeharto, who has been hospitalized and is reportedly in a critical condition.
They said the President's call showed the government's failure to enforce the law, especially in its fight against corruption and the case involving Soeharto.
"By doing so, the government of Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla have evidently broken the public's mandate to fight corruption," Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace director Hendardi said Sunday.
Hendardi asked why the government had remained silent around the status of Soeharto before his latest hospitalization, when he was in good health. "There was no breakthrough in legal processes when Soeharto was in good health," he said.
After his arrival from a state visit to Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Yudhoyono called on the public to stop debates around Soeharto's status. He also invited Indonesia to pray for Soeharto's health.
The former leader's condition continued to worsen on Sunday, two days after he suffered multiple organ failure.
The 86-year-old was admitted to Pertamina hospital with heart, kidney and lung problems on Jan. 4 and his health has fluctuated daily before it dramatically worsened Friday. He was then attached to a ventilator to save his life.
Hendardi said the need to battle Soeharto's corruption case and his cronies was stipulated under the 1998 decree of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
"That's why, Susilo and Jusuf could not ignore the case," he said. "If they want to ignore the decree, they must first set a new law to replace the existing MPR decree."
The Setara Institute also called on the Assembly and the House of Representative to respond Yudhoyono's call. "They (the Assembly and the House) must take initiative fairly to respond the case of Soeharto," he said.
Legislators said the government needed to determine Soeharto's legal status soon, to prevent the country wasting more time and energy.
Ali Mochtar Ngabalin, a member of the House Commission I overseeing defense and foreign affairs, told Antara, "We spend much time and energy discussing the issue". "It is only the courage of government that can take action to resolve Soeharto's status."
Ali also criticized Yudhoyono's statement that a civil lawsuit against Soeharto was not the priority for the current government.
House Commission I member Yuddy Chrisnandi said the President must make clear his actions toward Soeharto's legal status. "But I see no clear action from the government over the status of Soeharto," Golkar Party member Yuddy told Antara.
House speaker Agung Laksono also made a complaint about Attorney General Hendarman Supanji's statement around Soeharto's legal status.
"It is not the right time for talks about the legal status as Soeharto is in a critical condition," Agung told Antara on Sunday in Yogyakarta. "The civil lawsuit against Soeharto could be resolved in an out-of-court settlement."
Hendarman made a surprise visit to Soeharto at Pertamina hospital on Friday night, offering a "win-win solution" and to resolve the civil lawsuit in an out-of-court settlement.