Suharto, Thojib I (1921- )

Indonesian politician and general, president 1967-98. His authoritarian rule met with domestic opposition from the left, but the Indonesian economy enjoyed significant growth until 1997. He was re-elected in 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, and, unopposed, in March 1998. This was despite his deteriorating health and the country's economy being weakened by a sharp decline in value of the Indonesian currency (the rupiah), which had provoked student unrest and food riots. After mounting civil unrest reached a critical point, on 21 May 1998 he handed over the presidency to the vice-president, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie.

Formerly chief of staff under Sukarno, he dealt harshly with a left-wing attempt to unseat his predecessor and then assumed power himself. He ended confrontation with Malaysia, invaded East Timor in 1975, and reached a cooperation agreement with Papua New Guinea in 1979. After being elected to his seventh five-year term in early March 1998, Suharto was granted additional powers to maintain national unity and deal with the economic crisis. He remained opposed to economic reforms demanded by his critics and supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and formed a new ‘family cabinet’ composed of relatives and close associates. He was formally charged in August 2000 with misusing charitable funds. Estimates of the wealth acquired corruptly by Suharto and his family during his authoritarian rule 1967-98 are between $15 billion/£9.4 billion and $45 billion/£28 billion. However, in September 2000, a court ruled that Suharto was unfit to stand trial, having suffered three strokes in the previous year. The ruling was made despite demonstrations (sometimes violent) of popular opinion against the former dictator. Later in September 2000, Suharto's youngest son, Tommy, became the first member of the family to admit to being involved in corruptly acquiring wealth during Suharto's dictatorship. He was arrested in connection with a bomb which exploded in the financial district of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment.

In November 1998, in response to reports that he and his family may be prosecuted for corruption and misuse of power, Suharto turned over to the government his interests in seven foundations worth $528 million/£330 million, wealth he had amassed while in office. In March 2000 he was ordered to appear in front of the attorney-general for questioning, but was reported by his lawyers to be too ill to do so. This, his second refusal to appear for questioning, provoked violent public demonstrations. The government renewed action against Suharto in April 2000, banning him from leaving the capital, and threatening him with house arrest, which was implemented the following month.