The health of Indonesian former president Soeharto worsened, and Indonesian vice president Jusuf Kalla and most of the Soeharto family members have arrived at the hospital where he is being treated late on Friday.

Soeharto's health worsened and was in coma, Dr. Mardjo Soebiandono, head of a presidential physicians' team treating the former strongman, said at a press conference Friday night.

Doctors were closely monitoring a possible infection in Soeharto's lungs, because there were preliminary signs of inflammation, a lung specialist said.

Doctors said Soeharto's breath is weak and quick.

The former president has been critically ill since last Saturday, receiving blood transfusions and undergoing haemodialysis to drain excess fluid from his body.

Children and grandchildren of Soeharto were gathering at the Center Pertamina Hospital, high officials including current vice president Jusuf Kalla also went to the hospital. Security there was intensified.

Soeharto who came to power in 1965 after a military coup d'etatwas forced to step down in May 1998 following anti-government protests and an economic crisis.

Soeharto was charged with embezzling 571 million U.S. dollars from state charities while in power but due to his poor health, his case was stopped.

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2008)