Aceh in urgent need of helicopter

Aceh in urgent need of helicopter

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Banda Aceh city administration pledged financial assistance
for the Aceh provincial government to purchase a helicopter,
which it is claimed is badly needed to help make the
administration in the restive province effective.

"We will ask for approval from the city legislative assembly
for the allocation of around Rp 700 million for the provincial
administration's planned purchase of a chopper," Banda Aceh Mayor
Zulkarnain said at a hearing with the assembly on Thursday.

The mayor said the helicopter was urgently needed due to
instability and the frequent natural disasters in remote areas in
the province.

"With a helicopter, officials both from the executive and the
assembly could make immediate visits to any areas which are
struck by natural disasters or conflicts," he said.

Around Rp 10 billion is needed to purchase the helicopter and
to cover its crew's salaries and maintenance costs.

Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh has been planning to purchase the
helicopter since last July with financial assistance from the
city administration and the Aceh Regional Development Bank.

The provincial government's plan has sparked sharp criticism
from local non-governmental organizations and informal leaders,
who consider it a waste of money.

In other developments, a caucus of 21 legislators from various
parties called on Tengku Muhammad Yunus, speaker of the
provincial legislative assembly, to step down because of a number
of alleged violations that he has committed over the last two
years.

"It is better for Yus to step down voluntarily before a
plenary session is held to discuss the no-confidence motion
submitted to the legislature on Nov. 17, 2001," Antara quoted the
spokesman for the caucus, Nasir Jamil, as saying at a press
conference in Banda Aceh on Thursday.

The legislators' move has gained the support of various sides,
including a number of factions in the legislature, non-
governmental organizations and informal leaders, as the speaker
was believed to have frequently used the legislature's budget in
an opaque manner.

"The no-confidence motion has gained the full support of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and
National Mandate Party factions, and a part of the United
Development Party and alliance factions," he said.