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strong>June 11, p1

Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto reportedly revealed that former president Soeharto ordered him to kidnap pro-democracy activists in May 1998, which saw him dismissed from the Indonesian Military (TNI), according to Veterans Association (Pepabri) chairman Gen. (ret) Agum Gumelar.

'€œPrabowo told me when he visited Pepabri recently that he was ordered by former president Soeharto to kidnap the activists. I was quite shocked, because he didn'€™t say anything about that when the [TNI] Officers Honorary Council [DKP] questioned him,'€ he said in a live TV interview on Tuesday.

Agum acknowledged he was skeptical about the statement as he knew Soeharto would not have ordered something so controversial during a chaotic time, even though Prabowo was then Soeharto'€™s son-in-law.

Your comments:

Prabowo is losing ground as more of his background is revealed.

Voters have every right to know everything.

Lingga

In Prabowo'€™s own words during the debate: He was protecting Indonesia from people with bombs.

This guy doesn'€™t know the difference between a bomb-making terrorist and a reform activist.

Eti Valco

Didn'€™t Prabowo last week say he wanted to make Soeharto a national hero?

Andul Malik

This presidential election thing is getting nasty!

Snap

Why did it take 15 years for these facts to be revealed and on the eve of the presidential election?

It seems to me that there is more to the revelations than meet the eye, especially against the background of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono'€™s recent complaints on the TNI'€™s illegal actions in the upcoming election.

Henry Manoe

All leaders and would-be leaders have skeletons in their closet.  

These skeletons are rattled only when that person does not follow the puppet masters'€™ wishes. Such is the case for Prabowo.  

He is not deemed suitable, probably because he is a loose cannon and even though it has been 15 years, his skeletons are now being rattled.

Puffo

All people make mistakes. If you do not like the idea of a Prabowo presidency, just select your preferred president.

But do not make statements that pressure Prabowo, it'€™s not fair. Everyone has faults, no matter their religion.

When Prabowo was nominated as a vice-presidential candidate in 2009, running alongside Megawati Soekarnoputri, why was this case not brought to the fore then?

Juma

When someone blindly accepts a controversial instruction without consulting his/her conscience, this person is guilty.

How can you expect a person without a conscience to lead a country?

Jay Plain

Is that supposed to be an excuse or an acknowledgement?

Where I come from, criminal orders are invalid, especially if they cut the line of command.

Kantisini

Prabowo may have good intentions in bidding to become the president of Indonesia, but
there are many around him who are greedy, corrupt and radical.

Deddy K