Probe on Sukhoigate to start next week

Kurniawan Hari and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A House committee of inquiry will start its investigation into the highly politicized Sukhoigate affair by summoning a number of cabinet ministers, military officers, business people and the Russian ambassador to Indonesia.

A committee member, however, said on Tuesday that the probe was not intended to lead to an effort o impeach President Megawati Soekarnoutri but rather to shed light on why the government decided to buy the Russian jet fighters.

Among the figures to be summoned are Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil, Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, Air Force chief Marshal Chappy Hakim, Minister of Trade and Industry Rini M.S. Soewandi, State Logistics Agency (Bulog) head Widjanarko Puspoyo, the finance ministry's budget director, the chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, Bank Bukopin officials, and the Russian ambassador to Indonesia.

Businessman Setiawan Djody on June 30 will be among the first to appear at the House of Representatives to clarify the Sukhoi deal, which is worth US$192.6 million.

"We see that these people have information about the deal," House defense commission deputy chairman Effendi Choirie of the National Awakening Party (PKB) said after an internal meeting of committee members here on Tuesday.

During her state visit to Russia in April, Megawati signed a deal on the purchase of four Sukhoi jet fighters and two MI-35 helicopters.

While legislators and politicians back home generally see the merits behind the deal, they have heavily criticized Megawati for failing to consult the House before signing the deal.

Under the prevailing laws, the Ministry of Defense is in charge of procuring military equipment based upon approval from the House. Megawati, however, violated all of the relevant laws.

Some legislators quickly questioned the source of the funds to be spent on the Russian warplanes.

Choirie, who is also the deputy chairman of the inquiry committee, said that the purchase of the Russian warplanes violated defense and budgetary laws.

Fellow committee member Happy Bone Zulkarnain of Golkar added that the inquiry committee would gather information from those who were summoned to clarify alleged irregularities in the purchase of the jet fighters and helicopters.

The fact that Minister of Trade and Industry Rini M.S. Soewandi and State Logistics Agency (Bulog) head Widjanarko Puspoyo played major roles in the purchases drew more resentment.

Committee member Abdul Qadir Djaelani, meanwhile, said that the inquiry was not aimed at removing Megawati from office.

"The establishment of the task force is aimed at clarifying why and how the government decided to purchase the Sukhois," he said.

Separately, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais suggested that the government set up a team to explain the decision to the House committee.

Amien, a presidential aspirant from the National Mandate Party (PAN), warned the President that Bulog had already caused trouble for two prominent figures -- former president Abdurrahman Wahid and House Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

Abdurrahman and Akbar were implicated in separate graft cases amounting to Rp35 billion and Rp40 billion respectively.

Amien said that the latest Bulog case could claim another victim should the President fail to provide explanations.

Deputy secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Pramono Anung said his party was not worried about the inquiry as it was aimed at creating a clean and strong government.

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Aqlani Maza, a director general for military procurement at the Ministry of Defense, said on Tuesday that the purchase of the Sukhoi fighters had violated procedures as the ministry had never been involved in the deal.

"I don't know what exactly happened in Russia that made the President decide to purchase the jet fighters, but as far as I know, the plan was never discussed with us here at the ministry.

Based on Law No. 3/2002 on defense, the Ministry of Defense is responsible for military policies, including budget allocations, procurement of military hardware and other defense issues.

"If the reason is to meet the country's needs for military equipment, I guess we can fix the problem by asking the Air Force to submit a proposal ... and indeed we have already asked them to do so," Aqlani said.