'Walk of Fame' mark for Suharto
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A court has ruled Suharto is too feeble to stand trial over embezzlement charges.
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JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Former Indonesian dictator Suharto is set to leave his mark on Jakarta's "Walk of Fame" which pays homage to Indonesia's "beautiful people."
The Jakarta Post reported Thursday that Suharto, who is charged with embezzling over $500 million in state funds during his iron-handed 32-year rule, will have his footprints placed alongside other Indonesian leaders on Jakarta's version of Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
Footprints of current President Megawati Sukarnoputri and predecessors Abdurrahman Wahid and B.J. Habibie will also be featured on the promenade opposite the presidential palace, the Post reported, with other prominent citizens also asked to leave their mark.
"We want to inspire the young people to follow in the footsteps of those people whose footprints have been placed here as these people have successfully developed the country," city parks director Mauritz Napitupulu was quoted by the Post as saying.
Certainly, those following in Suharto's footsteps will end up rich, with his family wealth and assets evaluated at around $15 billion.
The 82-year-old Suharto is widely credited for putting in place economic policies, which lifted millions out of poverty.
But he was also accused of condoning massive corruption and human rights abuses during his stint as president that ended when in May 1998 when he was ousted amid pro-democracy protests and riots.
Though Suharto faces charges of embezzlement, a Jakarta court has ruled he is too ill and feeble to stand trial.
Suharto's youngest son, Tommy, last month appealed against a 15-year jail sentence for possession of firearms and for the murder of a judge who had earlier jailed him for corruption.
