Indonesia's new attorney-general is to reopen a corruption investigation into disgraced former president Suharto and bring the case to court.
He also promised yesterday to investigate further a banking scandal involving former president Bacharuddin Habibie's inner circle of friends.
'It is crucial that these two issues are resolved properly and transparently so that the message is clear . . . we will not tolerate any monkey business any more,' said Marzuki Darusman, to be sworn in as attorney-general tomorrow.
The reformist new President, Abdurrahman Wahid, opposes taking the ailing Mr Suharto to court, but said he would not stand in Mr Marzuki's way.
Mr Wahid, who is friendly with the former first family, suggested it would be better if 78-year-old Mr Suharto repaid any money found to have been obtained through corruption. The cash could be used to help Indonesia out of its economic crisis and overcome food shortages.
However, Mr Wahid said it was 'not the President's business' to decide who was taken to court, keeping to his earlier pledge to return the country to the rule of law and not presidential whim.