Jakarta – Unlike Soeharto's many VIP guests whose hospital visits have been covered by television stations, the 20 people attempting to visit the ailing former dictator Friday morning might have gone unnoticed if not for the floral display they carried.

The 20 people, many of whom were victimized by the policies of Soeharto's 32-year authoritarian government, arrived in five cars to deliver the floral display, which carried the message: "Get well soon and continue the legal process against Soeharto." They were accompanied by members of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

Suciwati, the wife of late Kontras founder Munir, and Sumarsih, the mother of one of the students killed in the 1998 Semanggi shootings, along with their floral gift, were stopped by guards as soon as they stepped out of the elevator on the fifth floor of Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta where Soeharto is being treated.

Hospital director Adji Suprajitno said Suciwati had not received permission to visit Soeharto. "Groups are not allowed to visit him," he said. The director added that anyone who wanted to see the former president had to obtain permission beforehand.

Suciwati spoke to reporters after rejoining the other visitors in the hospital lobby. "The guards let us write down our names on the guest list. We are the family members of victims of violations during the Soeharto regime."

She then left the floral display with receptionists on the first floor. She said all of the members of the group had lost loved ones in the Semanggi shootings in 1998 and 1999, the Tanjung Priok tragedy in 1984 and the Trisakti shootings in 1998.

Also on Friday, Social Affairs Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah, who arrived at the hospital not long after the visit by Suciwati, was welcomed by Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti "Tutut" Hardiyanti Rukmana. Bachtiar said Soeharto was sleeping when he arrived.

Previously, Soeharto's family rejected a visit by members of the Tritura Defenders Front, who demanded that Soeharto be prosecuted for his actions while in office.

Meanwhile, doctors on Friday said Soeharto's condition was improving. They said his intestinal bleeding had stopped and his red blood count had risen to 10.6 grams per deciliter of blood.

Mardjo Soebiandono, who leads the former ruler's medical team, said Soeharto was receiving 80 percent of the targeted 2,000 calories a day. "We are supplying nutrition through an intravenous feeding tube and a tube in his stomach," he said. "He is also now able to eat soft foods."