Abdurrahman denies plan to purchase plane

Abdurrahman denies plan to purchase plane

NEW YORK (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid denied here on
Wednesday he was planning to purchase a presidential airplane
from Boeing.

"I do not have any plans to purchase the plane. We do not have
the money for that," Abdurrahman, who is in New York to attend
the UN-organized Millennium Summit, said.

He admitted, however, that during a refueling stop in Seattle
earlier in the week, executives of Boeing, the world's largest
aerospace company, offered him the opportunity to purchase a
Boeing 737-800.

The head of the presidential palace protocol office, Wahyu
Muryadi, said on Monday the President was planning to buy the
plane.

Wahyu said at the time the purchase would ease the burden on
national flag-carrier Garuda Indonesia, which often must
rearrange its flight schedules due to presidential trips.

The statement triggered criticism from legislators, who said
the people were in urgent need of rice, not a private airplane.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli said the
purchase of a presidential airplane from Boeing might not be such
a bad idea.

"I think we agree with the planned purchase ... from an
efficiency point of view, the wide-bodied jet currently used by
the President could be used for commercial purposes," Ramli said
on Wednesday.

The Boeing 737-800 jetliner, which comes with a price tag of
between US$50 and $60 million, is one of the newest offerings
from the Seattle-based company. It includes high-tech, vertical
winglets that can extend the airplane's range and fuel
efficiency.

Since becoming President 11 months ago, Abdurrahman has
angered legislators and political foes by traveling to more than
35 countries on official visits. (prb/byg)