Denies Using BNPB Helicopters Attending Golkar Events, DPRD Speaker: I Got Illegal Logging Report

BNPB helicopter used for party events (Capture Portal talk)

JAKARTA - Head of Riau DPRD, Indra Gunawan, who is usually called Eet, denied using a helicopter belonging to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to attend Golkar events. Eet admitted that he boarded a white and red helicopter to monitor illegal logging reported by the public.

"That is wrong. I have reports from the nearby community that there is illegal logging. Naturally, I am the Chairman of the DPRD. So it is true that I passed a lot of reports. This is illegal logging encroaching the forest so I facilitate it but if the community judges anything, go ahead," said Indra to reporters, Tuesday, August 25.

Meanwhile, regarding the remarks from a number of men in black and yellow uniforms from the Golkar Party Youth Force (AMPG), Indra said he did not know anything. "I didn't know that I was welcomed like that," he said.

"You villagers see that helicopters are magnificent in the villages. I didn't know that the task force greeted us. We also have two helicopters," he added.

Previously, a video with a duration of 2 minutes 41 seconds showed the Chairperson of the Riau DPRD who is also the Secretary of the Riau Golkar Party, Indra Gunawan or Eet getting off a helicopter that reads BNPB which is usually used to handle cases of forest fires.

The video shows a number of people in the Golkar Youth Force (AMPG) uniform waiting for the helicopters to arrive in a field called Bengkalis Island. Not long after they waited, a white and red helicopter with the BNPB logo coded PK-DPM landed.

A number of AMPG members then welcomed a yellow coat, complete with hat and yellow shirt. Apart from that a number of other people got off the helicopter.

While welcoming those who got off the helicopter belonging to the BNPB, the AMPG members shouted yells. "Long live AMPG! Long live Golkar!" they said mutually.

Responding to that, BNPB Public Relations Head Rita Rosita spoke about a video showing a helicopter with the writing BNPB being used for events related to political parties in Riau Province viral on social media.

According to him, the helicopter operation is no longer regulated by his party. Thus, Rita could not say much about the use of helicopters that were beyond its designation.

"Helicopter operations have been handed over to the Governor or Lanud," said Rita when contacted by VOI, Monday, August 24.