Farewell to Asia’s greatest kleptocrat

Eric Ellis

2 February 2008

Eric Ellis says the death of Indonesia’s former dictator may spur attempts to recover the loot accumulated by his family

Except it’s not true. The children endured Indonesia’s fall fairly well. Bali, a Suharto branch office where the family own a string of hotels, helped keep them afloat. Its hard currency-based tourist economy turned it into the family’s private ATM, as other Indonesians suffered an 80 per cent plunge in the value of the rupiah.

Those who know the family say ‘look behind the curtains’ — where you will find people such as Hary Tanoesoedibjo, an ethnic Chinese businessman who is close to Suharto’s second son, Bambang Trihatmodjo. The 43-year-old Hary emerged from nowhere to take control — seemingly — of Bimantara, Bambang’s empire of television, banking, property, toll roads, telecoms and transport. Hari insists he’s self-made but Bambang remains a ‘commissioner’ of the company and admits to a 13 per cent stake, an interest believed to be much understated.

Youngest son Tommy is the only Suharto so far called to account for the family’s excess: in 2002, he was sentenced to 15 years in jail for ordering the murder of the judge who convicted him for corruption. He served only four years, running his company, Humpuss, from a luxury prison cell. He’s now a major player in shipping, oil, mining and agribusiness.

While the patriarch was alive, the children were virtually untouchable. But his death could herald a new push on their wealth and next year’s elections may provide a spur. President Yudhoyono was elected in 2004 on an anti-graft ticket, and though he is thought weak and indecisive, he is generally regarded as bersih, or clean. As Indonesian democracy and civil society matures, that reputation may be the President’s most potent weapon in getting re-elected — and getting on with the business of purging the Suharto poison before the kids head to the airport with their loot.