President Wants Flight Monitoring to be Tightened
Friday, 05 January, 2007 | 15:17 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked that the monitoring over flight security implementation be tightened. “It only needs monitoring,” said Transportation Minister Hatta Rajasa after meeting with the President at the Presidential Palace, yesterday (4/1). “Because from the regulation aspect, at the national level, it is already good and in line with civil flight provision standards.”

When the suspicion that cheap flights are operated by reducing a plane’s maintenance cost was mentioned, Hatta stressed that he has not yet found any proof. “That’s the rumor. If it is proven, it’s a felony and (the airline) must be closed down. This must be made stricter,” he said.

Hatta reported to the President together with Indonesian Military (TNI) Navy Chief of Staff Chappy Hakim, flight observer Dudi Sudibyo and pilot Captain Sri Bekti, invited by the President. They gave input about management, operation and security of flight safety, also the factors that cause accidents as the materials for global evaluation of all Indonesian flights.

Chappy acknowledged the importance of stricter regulations and sanctions for those who violate regulations, either the pilot or the maintenance officer. “That will reduce the possibility of accidents,” he said.

The problem is, he said, the state’s finance capability is insufficient to anticipate the world’s flight technology development. Thus, the government needs to make priorities.

Chappy cited the air traffic controller (ATC) in Makassar as needing special attention. This is due to the busy flight traffic there.

Regarding the cause of the accident , Chappy said there are three possibilities: one engine died; both engines died or the plane exploded. “The three possibilities should have been detected by radar in Makassar,” he said. What matters is, “Was the radar on or not?”

Director General of Air Transportation at the Transportation Department, M. Iksan Tatang, acknowledged that so far civil pilots have been forced to fly in spite of bad weather. “That is one input received by the President. So the government forms a transportation management evaluation team,” he said.

BADRIAH | HARUN MAHBUB