Sukhois to arrive on Tuesday

Sukhois to arrive on Tuesday

Two of the four Sukhoi jet fighters that Indonesia bought from
Russia through a countertrade deal in April will arrive here on
Tuesday.

Air Force spokesman Commodore Sagoem Tamboen said on Sunday
that the two Sukhoi-30 jet fighters were scheduled to land at the
Iswahyudi Air Base in Madiun, East Java, on Tuesday morning.

"According to the plan, the jet fighters will be transported
by Antonov cargo aircraft belonging to the Russian government,"
Sagoem told The Jakarta Post.

Indonesian military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto,
Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Chappy Hakim and other top TNI
leaders are expected to attend a ceremony to mark the arrival of
the warplanes at the Air Base.

Meanwhile, Effendy Choirie, an outspoken legislator who chairs
the House of Representatives working committee probing
allegations of corruption in the Sukhoi deal, said his committee
would continue investigating the case even if the deal was
already executed.

During a visit to Russia in April, President Megawati
Soekarnoputri signed a memorandum of understanding on the
purchase of two Sukhoi-30s, two Sukhoi-27s, and two MI-35 assault
helicopters through a countertrade deal worth US$192.6 million.

Sagoem said the two Sukhoi-27s and two helicopters would
arrive here not long after the delivery of the Sukhoi-30s.

Legislators, while acknowledging the importance of acquiring
new weaponry, have questioned the choice of Sukhoi jet fighters
and the procedures involved in the purchase of the warplanes.

The deal was signed without the involvement of the Ministry of
Defense, which under the prevailing defense law is responsible
for procuring weaponry for the country's armed forces.

The lawmakers have also questioned the involvement of a number
of businesspeople and individuals, whom the lawmakers say lack
experience in this area. One of the businessmen involved in the
deal, Marimutu Manimaren, committed suicide early this month.

Effendy Choirie also slammed what he called the government's
stubbornness in pursuing the Sukhoi deal and regretted its
decision to go ahead with the deal despite the ongoing probe by
the House.

"This is a major sign of disrespect for the House," said
Effendy, adding that the probe would be completed by the end of
September, when the working committee is expected to announce its
findings.

The TNI had said earlier that it planned to buy 48 Sukhoi jet
fighters over the next four years to modernize the country's air
defense system, which has suffered greatly from a military
embargo imposed by the United States since 1999. -- JP