PRESIDENT ORDERS AIR FORCE TO INCREASE CHECKS ON ITS AIRCRAFT

Jakarta, May 21 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered the Indonesia Air Force (TNI AU) to increase the checks on its fleet and prioritize flight safety.

"The TNI AU must do extra-hard work to check its aircraft and prioritize securing flight safety. I have instruct the ranks and files of the TNI, the TNI AU in particular," the president told a press conference at the state palace here on Wednesday.

Before giving the press conference, the president held a meeting to discuss Wednesday morning's Air Force Hercules airplane crash in Magetan, East Java, which killed 98 people.

The meeting was attended by Chief Political and Security Affairs Minister Widodo AS, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono, TNI Comander Djoko Santoso, Attorney General Hendarman Supanji and the Air Force, Navy and Army chiefs of staff.

The president asked the TNI to assure the safety of passengers of aircraft operated by the TNI for various activities, including operational and training activities.

He said that he was told at the meeting that the causes of the crash of the Hercules were still being established.

It still could not be assured whether the accident was caused by bad weather, engine trouble or human error, the president said.

In the meantime, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said that the accident had nothing to do with shortage of budget for the military.

He said that with a budget of 40 percent below the minimal budget, TNI always carried out maintenance as well as possible for its defense equipment and armament.

"We have always been short of budget, but we always tried our best so that technically our weapon system would always be safe," he said