TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Jusuf “JK” Kalla said that he and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo would discuss presidential helicopter purchase upon his return from Paris, France. JK said that the decision to purchase the VVIP helicopter was on Jokowi’s hands.
“We will discuss the helicopters purchase upon [Jokowi’s] return,” JK said at Halim Perdanakusumah Airport onSunday, November 29, 2015.
Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan echoed JK’s statement adding that the decision whether to pick British-made AgustaWestland or PT Dirgantara Indonesia-produced Super Puma Mark II NAS 332 would be made after Jokowi’s return from Paris.
“I don’t want to speculate, but we will see whether the presidential helicopter needs to be changed or not,” Luhut said.
Earlier, Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) revealed its plan to buy AgustaWestland AW-101 helicopter from Italian-British manufacturing company for military and civilian purposes. The plan sparked criticism from PT Dirgantara Indonesia that produced similar helicopter, called Super Puma Mark II NAS 332.
PT Dirgantara Indonesia president director Budi Santoso said that the purchase was not in accordance with the defense industry law mandating national industry involvements in defense and security systems procurement.
REZA ADITYA