FORMER INDONESIAN PRESIDENT SUHARTO IS IN INTENSIVE CARE FOLLOWING COLON SURGERY AND WILL LIKELY REMAIN IN CRITICAL CONDITION FOR UP TO A WEEK, HIS DOCTORS SAID MONDAY. DOCTORS DESCRIBED SUHARTO, WHO IS 84, AS CONSCIOUS AND SAID HIS CONDITION «HAS IMPROVED» SINCE HE WAS ADMITTED INTO THE HOSPITAL LAST THURSDAY AFTER COMPLAINING OF FEELING WEAK. «HE HAS BEEN CONSCIOUS AFTER THE SURGERY AND HIS CONDITION IMPROVED,» SAID BRIG. GEN. MARJO SUBIANDONO, THE CHIEF PRESIDENTIAL PHYSICIAN. SUBIANDONO NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT HE WOULD LIKELY BE IN A «CRISIS PERIOD,» OR CRITICAL CONDITION, FOR FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME SUHARTO HAS BEEN TREATED FOR INTESTINAL BLEEDING IN TWO YEARS, MOST RECENTLY IN NOVEMBER, THOUGH HE IS NOT BELIEVED TO HAVE UNDERGONE INTESTINAL SURGERY BEFORE, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED. HIS POOR HEALTH HAS BLOCKED EFFORTS TO PROSECUTE HIM ON CORRUPTION CHARGES SINCE A POPULAR UPRISING IN 1998 FORCED HIM TO RESIGN THE PRESIDENCY AFTER RULING FOR 32 YEARS.
