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.