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Indonesian President not to Grant Pardon to Soeharto's Son
Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid said Wednesday he would not give a pardon to Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra who was found guilty in a multimillion-dollar graft scandal involving the State Logistic Agency (Bulog) in 1997.
"No, No,.." the president said when asked about possible grant of pardon to Tommy.
Wahid was talking to journalists at the Halim Military Airport here, shortly after his arriving home from a trip overseas.
However, Wahid's statement has put an end to wide spread worry that the incumbent president would apologize Tommy.
After admitting his guilty in a 10.8 million U.S. dollars land scam, Tommy appealed for presidential clemency on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said that the president needs considerations both from Attorney General and Minister of Justice before he makes decision in connection with accepting or refusing Tommy's pardon appeal.
"Well, we have not yet had any considerations about that. We are still studying that matter," Darusman told reporters after attending a closed-door ministerial meeting for politics and security affairs.
He further said the only consideration to give or refuse Tommy's appeal may be a humanity judgment.
Tommy was charged in a multimillion-dollars property deal with the Bulog in 1997. Prosecutors said the deal had enriched him but cost the government 10.8 million U.S. dollars.
The 37 year old man was sentenced for 18 months in prison by the country's supreme court and he was also ordered to pay equivalent 3.5 million U.S. dollars.
Tommy, a wealthy business magnate, was also named by Wahid as a suspect in the Jakarta Stock Exchange bombing which killed 15 people on September 13 -- the eve of the second hearing in his father's corruption case.
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