Indonesia’s Suharto suffers more internal bleeding

JAKARTA (Reuters) – Former Indonesian President Suharto is
suffering from another internal bleeding problem, a senior
doctor said on Tuesday, almost three weeks after he was
admitted to a hospital for similar complaints.

The 84-year-old Suharto, who ruled Indonesia with an iron
fist for 32 years, was admitted to hospital in early May due to
bleeding in his digestive system, which lowered his body’s
oxygen level, including in his brain.

On Friday, doctors conducted the last of a series of
operations to halt the blood flow problems. They said Suharto’s
condition was satisfactory after the operation but he was still
considered to be in a critical phase.

His health worsened on Tuesday, the head of the
presidential medical team said.

“Today, Suharto is weak because of the stomach bleeding. We
will conduct an endoscopy to locate the source of that bleeding
and then try to stop it,” Mardjo Soebiandono told reporters at
the Pertamina hospital in Jakarta.

Suharto has been admitted to hospital a number of times
since he stepped down in 1998 when social and political chaos
engulfed Indonesia. He has suffered several strokes since then
and has had lung and kidney problems.

Indonesia’s attorney-general said earlier in May that his
office had stopped pursuing graft charges against Suharto
because of his poor health. The octogenarian’s illness had
prevented his persecution on charges of graft.

The case has been announced as closed in the past, only to
be opened again when officials in charge have changed.

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.