Suharto Near to Death, Say Doctors

Doctors treating the former Indonesian dictator Suharto say there is little hope for his survival after his condition worsened in hospital.

Suharto, 86, whose regime was widely regarded as one of most corrupt and brutal of the 20th century, is suffering from internal bleeding and heart complications.

He was admitted to Jakarta's Pertamina hospital on Friday with a dangerously low heart rate and swollen internal organs.

The former dictator initially responded well to a blood transfusion and dialysis, but his condition has worsened, doctors said today.

Juniarti Hatta, a member of the medical team, told Reuters: "The deterioration left us with little optimism."

Mardjo Subiandono, the head doctor, said: "He is worse than yesterday. We are looking for the cause of the bleeding."

Suharto was ousted amid massive student protests and nationwide riots at the height of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. He was accused of overseeing a purge of more than a half million leftwing opponents soon after seizing power in a 1965 coup.

Hundreds of thousands more were killed or jailed in the following decades, crimes for which no one has ever been punished.

Suharto has also been accused of squandering billions of pounds in state assets - an allegation he repeatedly dismissed as "empty talk."

He has received a steady stream of visits by high-profile officials in recent days, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, and cabinet ministers and Muslim clerics, a sign of his continuing influence over the ruling elite.

Some have prayed for his rapid recovery, while others asked he be forgiven for past crimes or that embezzlement charges be dropped. Years of poor health, including brain damage and some speech loss, have so far kept him from court.

"For the time being, he can receive no more visitors," Dr Subiandono said. "He will need to remain in intensive care so he can be closely monitored."

Since his removal from power, Suharto has lived a secluded life on a leafy lane in the capital, Jakarta, rarely venturing from his mansion except to visit family or to seek medical attention.