'Don't buy fake ABRI souvenirs'

'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)