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