Jakarta – Former president Soeharto has made a brief third visit to his youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra in an island prison, his aide said on Friday.

Soeharto, accompanied by two other sons Sigit Haryoyudanto and Bambang Trihatmojo, flew by helicopter to Nusakambangan island off south Java on Thursday.

Soeharto then drove in a luxury van to Batu penitentiary – one of four jails on the island – but had to be helped by both his sons to walk to meet Tommy, said the aide, who declined to be identified.

He said Soeharto, 82, met Tommy, who is serving 15 years for ordering the contract killing of a judge, for two hours. "He simply just misses his son and the visit is part of a homage before the start of [the Muslim fasting month] Ramadan," the aide told AFP.

He said Soeharto gave Tommy his favorite food and hugged him for a long time but the conversation was impeded by the elder Soeharto's halting speech. He has suffered a stroke.

The former dictator resigned under mounting public pressure in May 1998. His health has deteriorated and he has mostly been confined to his residence in the smart Menteng suburb of Jakarta. After stepping down Soeharto was charged with embezzling US$571 million in state funds. His trial has been postponed indefinitely on grounds of poor health.

Tommy, a former millionaire playboy, was convicted in July last year of arranging the murder of a judge who had ordered him jailed for corruption and of possessing firearms and explosives.