House told to OK chopper deal
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The House of Representatives and the government look set to revive their debate over the procurement of Russian-made MI-17 helicopters following an official request from Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono for resumption of the procurement process.
Lawmaker Happy Bone Zulkarnaen said on Sunday the House's Commission I for defense and foreign affairs discussed the letter in an internal meeting on Friday.
"We have discussed the letter from the defense minister, but we have been unable to make a decision. We need more time to thoroughly deliberate the matter," said Happy of Golkar Party.
He said some legislators had expressed rejection to the demand.
Fellow lawmaker Djoko Susilo of the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction concurred with Happy, saying the commission had recommended that the government halt the procurement project.
Both Happy and Djoko were referring to a letter from Juwono dated Nov. 1, which said the government intends to restart the purchase of four MI-17 helicopters.
The minister said the Indonesian Military (TNI) was in need of those aircraft.
The Commission I of the previous House recommended termination of the helicopter procurement by the Army after its investigation found irregularities in the US$21.6 million project to procure the four helicopters.
At least 13 figures, including the Army chief, secretary of the defense ministry Rear Marshal Suprihadi, the financial ministry's director of budgeting Achmad Rochjadi and Andy Kosasih from Singapore-based Swifth Air and Industrial Supply, were summoned for questioning by the commission.
The commission said that the decision of the Army chief on Oct. 10, 2002 to appoint PT Putra Pobiagan Mandiri the winner of the tender lacked objectivity and transparency.
In its recommendation, the commission urged the defense ministry to cancel the contract with Swifth Air and demanded that the latter return $3.24 million that the ministry had disbursed for the advance payment.
It also urged that the government improve the standard operating procedures in the purchases of military equipment through export credit facilities.
The defense ministry and the national police must report to the House's commission on the purchase of military and police equipment, the commission said.
"We don't want to disturb the procurement process. We just want the government to follow up the recommendations of the commission," Happy said.
Djoko said the legislators had recommended that the government find another partner to replace Swifth Air as its contractor.
The defense ministry has been promoting its new regulation on arms procurement, which will take effect on Jan. 1. The regulation stipulates that all the procurement process, including the appointment of contractors, will be monopolized by the ministry after learning the need of the three armed forces.
The ministry expects to pay the purchase through export credit from the governments of the countries supplying the military equipment.