Jakarta – Former President Suharto remains unfit to stand trial despite some improvement in his health, said the chief prosecutor in the graft case against the former ruler.

"Based on the evaluation of tests conducted between February 28 and March 28 by the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) doctors, we consider Mr Suharto still unable to face trial," said prosecutor Muchtar Arifin on Thursday.

The head of the medical team, Dr Ichramsyah Rachman, said Mr Suharto was able to "take care of himself in a limited way". "Now he can eat, take a bath and pray unassisted, but his activities need close monitoring," he added.

The medical report, however, revealed that the ex-president's cognitive problems remain, saying that he was very slow to speak and needed time to think before answering the doctors' questions.

Dr Ichramsyah said the decision to declare if he was fit for trial was up to the prosecutors, not the doctors.

The doctors on the RSCM team had visited Mr Suharto's residence in Central Jakarta every day since February 28 to conduct the checks. They met twice to assess his health.

Mr Muchtar said the monitoring of his health was scheduled to last until July 28 but added that the possibility of bringing him to court in the distant future was wide open. "We will resume the trial as soon as the medical team declares his health condition is good," he said.

The Attorney General's Office had also requested money from the Ministry of Finance to cover the cost of the medical treatment. "For the time being, Mr Suharto's medical expense is being covered by the hospital," said Mr Muchtar.

The Supreme Court recently upheld the South Jakarta District Court's decision to delay the prosecution of the 79-year-old former leader who has been charged in connection with a US$571 million corruption case, and to release him from house arrest because of his ailing health.

The court also ordered the Attorney General's Office to supervise his health care and cover his medical costs until he is declared fit for trial.