'Don't buy fake ABRI souvenirs'

JAKARTA (JP): Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Syamsu D. urged the public yesterday not to buy goods bearing the Armed Forces (ABRI) logo because they were not endorsed.

Syamsu was responding to several complaints from businesspeople who had been forced to buy souvenir packages bearing the ABRI logo for between Rp 1 million (US$303) and Rp 4 million.

He asked the public to alert the Military Police if they met anyone who pressured them to buying products, including calendars, watches and books, with a military logo.

"Just call our hot line service number -- 125. The number is in service 24 hours a day," he said.

"I'm sure many wealthy businessmen have bought the products but did not report them to us because it was not a lot of money for them. But for small-scale businessmen, the prices are too high."

ABRI members are prohibited from selling any souvenirs, he said.

Syamsu said the Military Police are now searching for a man, identified as Poltak, who allegedly deceived some middle-ranking military officers by asking them to buy a book titled Manajemen Soeharto (Soeharto Management).

He said Poltak, who pretended to be a general, telephoned his victims and asked them to buy the book for Rp 1 million, far higher than its official price of Rp 60,000.

The suspect then provided details for his account in a private bank in the Kramatjaya area, North Jakarta, and his telephone number for a cordless Ratelindo telephone, he said.

Some of the military district chiefs, who had been contacted by the suspect, had transferred money to the account, he said.

The Military Police have asked the Ministry of Finance for permission to open the account.

"We hope we will catch the man soon," Syamsu said. (jun)