Robert Go, Jakarta – Public anger is growing in Indonesia over the "soft" treatment that the country's most notorious suspect, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, has received since police investigators nabbed him three weeks ago.

Yesterday, Tommy, a former fugitive who is now the main suspect in the slaying of a judge and in a number of bombing cases, was allowed to visit his ailing father, former President Suharto, in one of Jakarta's exclusive hospitals.

Tommy had demanded that he should not wear any handcuffs and prison clothes during the hospital visit, his lawyer Elsa Syarief told reporters. National Police Chief General Da'i Bachtiar said that the police granted Tommy's requests based on humanitarian reasons.

But many Indonesians are outraged that Tommy is getting what they called "preferential" and "easy" treatment at the hands of the police. Mr Joko, a waiter at a Central Jakarta restaurant, said: "I can't believe it. He's a criminal, but the police treat him as if he's a good guy. This is ridiculous."

Taxi driver Martono agreed: "If a regular person steals a chicken or a pack of cigarettes on the street, he gets beaten to death while the police stand by and watch. But the police go out of their way to be nice to Tommy."

Mr Martono was referring to the common practice of "street justice" – where unlucky pickpockets or thieves often get overly harsh punishment from the public.

Several legal experts told The Straits Times that Indonesian police can give passes, allowing visits to family members, to detainees in special circumstances. "In emergency cases, it would be inhumane to deny detainees the right to visit dying family members," explained prominent lawyer and anti-corruption advocate Frans Winarta. "But yes, Tommy has been getting more leniency compared to others."

Tommy was a fugitive for about a year – fleeing a graft conviction and an 18-month jail sentence – until investigators raided a house in South Jakarta and re-arrested him on November 28. He was then showered with public hugs and handshakes by the police brass.

He was also allowed to wear regular clothes and to stay in an air-conditioned room during his first few days in detention. The clothes and the VIP cell had to go after furious protests from local non-government groups and legal advocates.

But members of the allegedly corrupt Suharto family have continued to pay regular visits to Tommy.

Mr Ibrahim Assegaf, editor of legal portal hukumonline.com, said: "In Tommy's case, there have been too many perks and not enough discipline. He makes being in police custody sound like being in a halfway house, for kids who have run away from home. He is getting special treatment, but so did a number of high-profile figures who have been convicted or suspected of crimes here."