Plane, what plane?

Plane, what plane?

JAKARTA (JP): The East Kalimantan provincial government has a Norman Britten aircraft but officials -- let alone the people -- never knew about it.

Governor Suwarna Abdul Fatah was dumbfounded when executives of the Kalimanis Group told him they came to return the 10-seater aircraft the company borrowed eight years ago.

"We did not realize we had an aircraft until it was returned to us," provincial government spokesman Haritsyah Ratman told Antara on Wednesday.

The legislative council was even more amazed to find that the plane was lent to the company controlled by Mohammad "Bob" Hasan, former president Soeharto's well-known crony, for free.

Officials learned later that the aging aircraft was granted by the Canadian government during the previous governorship of H.M. Ardans.

Ardans would not use it because its operational costs were too expensive. He instead lent it to Kayumanis. The firm returned the jet as part of its austerity measures.

Councilor Bustani Bakrie pledged to investigate the odd lending arrangement to see if collusion was involved.

The cash-strapped administration is wondering what to do with the aircraft, now parked high and dry at Temindung Airport. (pan)