Sukhoi Enshrouded
Unless there are complications, four Sukhoi fighter planes will soar through the Indonesian skies on October 5a birthday gift at the 58th anniversary of the Indonesian Military (TNI). Purchased from the Russian Government using a counter-trade scheme, the planesand two attack Mill helicopter unitsare worth a total of more than Rp1.7 trillion. If the purchase process is likened to an orchestra, the conductor is none other than Minister Rini M.S. Soewandi. However, not long after the down payment on the planesin cash terms more than Rp220.3 billionthe Sukhoi orchestra was no longer in harmony: some members of the House of Representatives (DPR) raised questions over the purchase process of the fighter jets. Among others, the source of financing didn't come from a budget that had become lawa normal practice during the New Order era. Accountability on the Sukhoi purchase process is the most important question that the government must answer to the public. TEMPO's investigation team traced a number of irregularities behind the purchase of the Russian planes. Here is the report.
July 22, 2003
EFFENDI Choiries agenda may not include travel to Gresik, East Javathe constituency he represents in the House of Representatives (DPR)for the next few weeks. Now is recess time, a time when legislature members go home to touch base with their constituents. But not for Effendi and around 17 other House members who belong to the House Working Committee on Sukhoi; they must continue working at Senayan. At the end of the month, we will reconvene, sa
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