Suharto may leave hospital in two days

Yogyakarta, Indonesia, May 30 : Former Indonesian strongman Suharto, who has been in a hospital for nearly a month with internal bleeding, may go home by Thursday, the head of the presidential medical team said.

Suharto, who ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for 32 years, was admitted in early May after bleeding in his digestive system lowered oxygen levels, including that in his brain. Doctors have since performed several operations.

Asked when the former president might be leaving the hospital, Mardjo Soebiandono, who was visiting earthquake- stricken Yogyakarta on Tuesday, told Reuters: ''Tomorrow or the day after at the latest.

Suharto wants to go home as soon as possible.'' He did not elaborate but yesaterday another senior doctor, Kunindro Dadi, said Suharto had been in a stable condition since the weekend and might leave the hospital soon.

There was still some liquid in Suharto's lungs due to prolonged immobility but that will soon disappear once the former leader starts to walk again, Dadi added.

Suharto, who will be 85 next week, has been in hospital a number of times since stepping down in 1998 when social and political chaos engulfed Indonesia. He has suffered several strokes and has had lung and kidney problems.

Reuters