Former Indonesian dictator Suharto in 'critical condition'

JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Former Indonesian President Suharto's condition worsened Sunday, as his family granted doctors permission to take him off life support when they see fit, CNN's Richard Quest has reported.

The octogenarian Suharto, shown at birthday celebrations in June.

Doctors at Pertamina Hospital said they will continue to keep Suharto, 86, on a ventilator until all his organs stop functioning.

They pegged his chances of recovery at "50-50" and called his condition "very critical."

Marjo Subiandono, the chief presidential doctor said that "He is now in very critical condition, worse than yesterday," according to reports carried by The Associated Press.

As Suharto's heart and lungs showed further decline, his family remained at his bedside Sunday afternoon reciting verses from the Quran.

Subiandono added that there were difficulties with Suharto's blood flow and that his breathing pipe had to be cleared early Sunday after indications it was becoming clogged, AP reported. "His blood pressure dropped to 80/90 over 40," Subiandono said. "He is still breathing with the help of a ventilator."

On Saturday, Indonesia's attorney general made an offer to Suharto's family to settle civil claims of $1.5 billion that the ex-president is accused of stealing from the state during his 32-year regime.

Lawyers for the family told CNN they were rejecting the offer because it was inappropriate to talk about the corruption case during such a difficult time, and because Suharto has denied doing anything wrong.

Suharto was rushed to Pertamina Hospital in Jakarta on January 4 for treatment of a failing liver, heart and lungs, his doctors said. He had been suffering at home for five days.

On Saturday, his condition showed some signs of improving before, doctors said, it took a turn for the worse again Sunday.

Suharto was president of Indonesia, the majority of whose 235 million population are Muslim, from 1967 until his resignation in 1998.

He steered Indonesia through a period of economic improvement, was staunchly anti-Communist and drew his country closer to the West.

However, his ruthless methods resulted in thousands of deaths, said Jusuf Wanandi from the Center of Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta. And his family is accused of amassing billion of dollars in state funds during his reign.

A former general, he stepped down under immense political pressure following widespread student demonstrations and rioting.

Since then he has seldom been seen in public due to several strokes which have affected his speech and brain function, as well as giving him grounds to avoid appearing in court.

--CNN/AP 2008-01-13

I am sure the family will be able to afford a very large and expensive funeral for him - courtesy of the squillions he stole from the Indonesian population during his dictatorship.