Jakarta – A private Indonesian group fighting against corruption has singled out 79 decrees issued by then-President Suharto over the past five years as flawed, reports said Saturday

"The flaws were in legality, content or their impact on society. These decrees have become a tool to legitimize the abuse of power," said deputy chairman of the Indonesian Society For Transparency, Kusnadi Harjasumantri. Kusnadi, quoted by the state Antara news agency, said the 79 decrees were among 528 issued by Suharto between 1993 and May 21 this year, when he resigned under public pressure.

He said some awarded large projects like toll roads, oil refineries, property developments and a coastal reclamation project for Jakarta to Suharto's relatives or close associates. Other decrees ordered the use of forestry funds to help a pulp and paper company owned by a close Suharto associate or concerned the national car program, providing tax exemptions to a company controlled by one of Suharto's sons.

Kusnadi criticised a lack of transparency in the preparation of the flawed decrees, a lack of regulations governing their content and ineffective control by supervisory institutions. He said his group would press the government to review and revoke the offending decrees. It would also try to make parliament more effective.

Kusnadi said his group's findings would be passed on to government ministries, the attorney general's office, the Supreme Court and the police.

The Indonesian Society for Transparency, headed by former finance minister Mar'ie Muhammad, includes many prominent public figures, former officials, economists, lawyers and human rights activists. Pressure has been mounting to end the corruption, collusion and nepotism that marked Suharto's 32 years in power.