---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Ailing Suharto's family taps powers of traditional Indonesian shamans JAKARTA, July 24 (AFP) - The family of former Indonesian president Suharto Saturday called in "dukuns," or traditional shaman mystics, to help him recover from a stroke. The five dukuns were shown into Jakarta's Pertamina hospital where Suharto, 78, was admitted Tuesday, but emerged several hours later saying they had failed to meet him as he was resting. "It's all right if I could not meet him. My job is to help people who have speech and hearing impediments, and also people suffering from strokes. I came here just to say prayers for him," the leading dukun, Haryo Panuntun said. Panuntun told an AFP reporter he had known Suharto since he was a child. The official Antara news agency quoted the five as saying they had been summoned by Suharto's elder daughter Siti "Tutut" Hardiyanti Rukmana. They would return Monday, they said. Although Suharto is a Moslem, like many Indonesians, he is known to consult dukuns and local legend has it that he believes the source of some of his strength lies in a mystical cave complex in central Java. Earlier on Saturday Pertamina Hospital Director Sujono Martoatmojo, said Suharto's health "in general is improving. "Speech is improving, fingers and right arm are stronger, the strength of right leg is almost normal," it said. Suharto, the report said, is undergoing more intensive physiotherapy. Hospital spokesman Syahril Muhammad said however it was unlikely Suharto could go home Saturday. "I don't think so," he said when asked if the former autocratic ruler might be discharged. Suharto was rushed to the hospital Tuesday after suffering what doctors said was a "mild stroke" which affected his speech. They said he had a clot in a blood vessel in his brain. The former president has spent most of his time in virtual seclusion in his heavily-guarded Jakarta home since he stepped down from power in May last year amid widespread rioting and calls for reform. Students and other reformists have urged the government to bring Suharto to trial for his past actions, including alleged corruption, and to confine him to city arrest. However the attorney general's office said Wednesday Suharto would be allowed to travel overseas for medical treatment, should the need arise. Former Aceh province governor, Ibrahim Hasan, the first visitor to call on Suharto Saturday, told journalists he had found the former president lying down and murmuring what he thought were prayers. "He was mouthing something, it looked like he was praying," Hasan said, adding he had "not been allowed" to communicate with Suharto and that he was no longer hooked up to an intravenous drip. "I saw no change, he was lying down ...he is still healthy, still fat," Hasan said, adding one of Suharto's daughters had described her father as "in pretty good condition." "I don't know when, but according to his team of doctors he can go home soon." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 24 Jul 1999 jam 20:14:18 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
