Legislators endorse purchase of four Mi-17 choppers<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
House of Representatives Commission I for defense affairs has
\ndone a turnaround and will allow the government to go ahead with
\nthe purchase of four Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters worth US$21.6
\nmillion in total.<\/p>\n
However, the legislators demanded that individuals suspected
\nof committing infractions in the procurement process be brought
\nto court.<\/p>\n
"We will support the purchase of the helicopters, but there
\nmust also be a legal process for those involved in offenses,"
\nEffendi Simbolon, a legislator who chairs a team assessing the
\nprocurement process, said here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Effendi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
\ndid not name any suspects. Earlier reports suggested that Andy
\nKosasih from Singapore's Swifth Air allegedly manipulated
\ncontractual documents for the planned purchase.<\/p>\n
Fellow legislator Hajriyanto Y. Thohari of the Golkar Party
\nconfirmed that Commission I members approved the purchase.<\/p>\n
The endorsement, agreed upon during an internal meeting of the
\ncommission on Wednesday, negated a decision last year to reject
\nthe purchase.<\/p>\n
After initially questioning several figures over alleged
\nirregularities in the procurement process, the commission
\nrecommended that the defense minister cancel the purchase of the
\nhelicopters.<\/p>\n
Commission I also demanded that Swifth Air, a mediator in the
\nprocurement, return the US$3.24 million advance payment.<\/p>\n
It also said the decision made by the Army chief on Oct. 10,
\n2002 to name PT Putra Pobiagan Mandiri the winner of the tender
\nin the chopper procurement lacked objectivity and transparency,
\nand that it had to be reviewed.<\/p>\n
It also urged the government to improve the standard operating
\nprocedures in the purchase of military equipment through export
\ncredit facilities.<\/p>\n
Commenting on his commission's recommendations last year,
\nEffendi Simbolon said the legislators would use them as a
\nreference to assess the procurement process of the four choppers.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that Commission I reversed its initial
\ndecision and endorsed the purchase after receiving a letter from
\nMinister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono on Nov. 1, asking the House
\nto support the procurement of four Mi-17 helicopters.<\/p>\n
"After assessing the condition of military equipment, we
\nunderstand the need to purchase more helicopters," Effendi said.<\/p>\n
He argued that the Mi-17s were carrier helicopters, with each
\ncapable of transporting two tons of materials or one platoon of
\nsoldiers.<\/p>\n
The legislators hoped the helicopters would help speed up the
\nmobilization of soldiers, he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislators-endorse-purchase-of-four-mi-17-choppers-1447893297",
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