Indonesia's ailing Suharto improves, but critical

Jakarta, May 24 : Ailing former Indonesia strongman Suharto has started recognising family members and is conscious for longer periods, but his health remains critical, doctors said today.

The former autocrat, who turns 85 next month, was admitted to hospital in early May due to bleeding in his digestive system, which lowered his body's oxygen level, including to his brain.

''His consciousness gets better. He can identify his family and make some limited communication,'' Djoko Rahardjo told reporters at the Pertamina hospital in Jakarta.

Suharto would continue to have blood transfusions to increase his haemoglobin level, Rahardjo added.

Ever since he was admitted to hospital, Suharto's condition has been fluctuating. He has suffered multiple bleeding problems in his internal organs and has undergone several operations.

His health worsened yesterday due to fresh internal bleeding, but another doctor, Adji Suprajitno, said the bleeding had since stopped.

Suharto has been admitted to hospital a number of times since he stepped down in 1998 when social and political chaos engulfed Indonesia. He has suffered several strokes since then and has had lung and kidney problems.

Indonesia's attorney-general said this month that his office had stopped pursuing graft charges against Suharto because of his poor health. The octogenarian's illness had prevented his prosecution on charges of corruption.

Suharto sharply raised incomes in Indonesia at the expense of political freedom and endemic graft during his years in power, with critics saying he and members of his family corruptly amassed up to 45 billion dollars, accusations they deny.

Reuters