President Yudhoyono hands 40 armored vehicles to TNI
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President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono handed over 40 APS armored vehicles to the National Defense Forces (TNI) here on Friday (7/10). (Photo: detikFoto)
July 10, 2009, Bandung -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono handed over 40 APS armored vehicles to the National Defense Forces (TNI) here on Friday.
The president handed the armored vehicles to the TNI in the presence of Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono in a ceremony at CN 235 hangar of PT Dirgantara Indonesia in Bandung.
President Yudhoyono and his entourage left for Bandung by car from his private residence at Puri Cikeas Indah in Bogor at 6.30 on Friday and arrived in Bandung two hours later.
Soon after arrival at the PT Dirgantara Indonesia office here at 8:30 a.m., the head of state chaired a limited meeting for about 90 minutes before attending the handing in ceremony.
After handing over the 40 armored vehicles to the TNI at the CN 235 hangar, the president then took a few minutes of his time to inspect the PT Dirgantara Indonesia aircraft company.
TNI Information Center Chief Rear Marshal Sagom Tamboen said the 40 APS armored vehicles were part of a total of 154 such cars ordered by the government from PT Pindad.
Tamboen said that of the 154 armored vehicles ordered by the government from PT Pindad, the company had completed 60 units and submitted them to the government for use by TNI.
He added that to produce the 154 units of the armored vehicles, PT Pindad got the funds from Bank Mandiri, BNI 46, and BRI, because one armored vehicle costs Rp5.5 billion, or Rp4.5 billion cheaper than those produced by France.
The handing over of the 40 armored vehicles by the president to the TNI had been delayed twice because of the general elections.
President Yudhoyono in the handing over ceremony on Friday here was accompanied by a number of ministers among others Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono, Research and Technology Minister Kusmayanto Kardiman, president directors of PT Pindad and PT Dirgantara Indonesia, and other high-ranking state officials.
ANTARA News
