Former Indonesian President Suharto's condition has deteriorated after
further internal bleeding, but the long-time ruler is fully conscious, one of
his doctors said on Saturday.
Indonesia has dropped
a graft case against former dictator Suharto which has been in limbo since
2000, Attorney-General Abdul Rahman Saleh has said, citing the
ex-president's poor health. [Reuters] |
Suharto, 84, who ruled Indonesia for 32 years, was admitted to hospital more
than a week ago because of bleeding in his digestive system, which lowered his
body's oxygen level, including to his brain.
"His (health) is going down, he's not stable yet ... but he is conscious,"
Hermansur Kartowisastro, a surgeon who is part of Suharto's medical team, told
Reuters.
"There's a new bleeding in different parts of his body, though it has gone
down. It was worse last night."
Doctors had earlier said Suharto seemed to be on the road to recovery after
surgery on his colon.
The former general has been hospitalised several times since he stepped down
in 1998 when social and political chaos engulfed Indonesia. He has suffered
several strokes since then. He has also had lung and kidney problems.
On Friday, Indonesia's attorney-general said his office had dropped graft
charges against Suharto because of his poor health. The octogenarian's illness
had so far prevented his prosecution on charges of graft.
A final ruling on closing the case against Suharto lies with President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, who earlier on Friday decided to hold off on a decision.
Suharto sharply raised incomes in Indonesia at the expense of political
freedom and endemic graft during his years in power, with critics saying he and
members of his family corruptly amassed up to $45 billion, accusations they
deny.
In a rare interview in late 1998, Suharto rejected speculation he'd stashed
wealth overseas.
"The fact is I don't even have one cent of savings abroad, don't have
accounts at foreign banks, don't have deposits abroad and don't even have any
shares in foreign firms," he said.
