Da'i rapped over U.S. helicopters

Da'i rapped over U.S. helicopters

JAKARTA: The House of Representatives will summon Police chief
Gen. Da'i Bachtiar over the purchase of 17 Enstrom helicopters
and two small Beechraft planes worth US$31.5 million from the
United States last June.

House Commission member Djoko Susilo of the Reform faction
said here on Thursday that the police had ignored an appeal from
the House not to buy security equipment from the U.S.

"We shall summon the police chief to explain the deal because
it contradicts an appeal made by the commission," said Djoko,
adding that the deal was concluded on June 27 by Da'i and
president of Michigan-based Enstrom Helicopter Corp. for Asia
Cyrus Pitt.

Djoko said House Commission I had on June 20 told the
government not to purchase defense and security equipment from
the U.S.

The demand was made in response to a statement by U.S.
Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L. Boyce that U.S.-made F-16
Fighting Falcon warplanes should not be used in the military
operation in Aceh, which legislators considered to be an
intervention into Indonesia's domestic affairs. --JP