Mega returns home to Sukhoi probe
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri returned home from a 10-day Asian tour on Friday to face mounting allegations of corruption, collusion, and nepotism (KKN) in the purchase of four Russian- made Sukhoi fighters and two Mi-35 assault helicopters.
Megawati and her entourage landed at the Halim Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta at 4:30 p.m. after a four-and-a-half hour flight from Hanoi, the last leg of her tour to four nations, including Bangladesh, Mongolia and Japan.
She was greeted by Vice President Hamzah Haz, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and a number of high-ranking military and civilian officials.
In a brief statement to reporters, Megawati said the state visits had been successful and fruitful in that they generated commitments to enhance relations in various sectors with each of the four countries.
Briefing the press before leaving Hanoi, Megawati questioned comments suggesting the involvement of her close family members, especially her daughter, in the acquisition of Sukhoi jet fighters and Mi-35 helicopters.
"There are suspicions of possible mark-ups, corruption and I even heard on TV that my daughter was related to the case. It is not fair to drag my daughter into the Sukhoi issue," Megawati said.
"I have spoken to my ministers and officials to prepare for the probe by the House's working committee," Megawati was quoted by Antara as saying.
Megawati was referring to the working committee set up by the House of Representatives (DPR) to investigate alleged irregularities in the acquisition of the warplanes from Russia in April.
The committee, known as Panja, planned to look into why the government decided to buy Sukhois and the process. Legislators have accused the government of bypassing them in buying the planes.
Some legislators alleged the involvement of Megawati's son-in- law Happy Hapsoro, the husband of her only daughter Puan Maharani.
The Panja will begin the probe on Monday, summoning several businessmen and former government officials believed to have knowledge of the deal.
Many analysts believe the probe would not unseat Megawati from her presidential post but severely affect her presidential bid in the 2004 election, when the country is scheduled to hold the first ever direct presidential election.
The furor began when Minister of Finance Boediono refused to pay the downpayment for the US$192.6 million deal without the approval of the House as the fund was not allocated in the 2003 State Budget.
Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil later told the House that his office, which has the authority to purchase military equipment, was never involved in the discussion to buy the aircraft.
Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, however, said on Friday that the defense ministry knew about the plan but declined to comment on whether the deal followed the standard procedures.
"I do not understand about the procedures, but it is impossible that the ministry of defense did not know anything about the deal, as the plan to buy warplanes had been discussed in 1994," he said.
Indonesia signed a contract to buy 12 Sukhoi warplanes in 1994, but the deal was canceled in 1997 amid the economic crisis.
Endriartono said the decision to buy Sukhoi was taken as the moment was right to get the sophisticated equipment at a reasonable price and through a counter-trade deal.