"The cause for the crash should be investigated thoroughly because the ill-fated helicopter was still new," Mahfudz Siddiq said here on Tuesday.
He was also of the view that it will be good if the National Defense Forces (TNI) involved MI-17 factory officials in the investigation in order to detect if there was a technical weakness in the ill-fated choppers.
Mahfudz said the House Commission-I would summon the TNI chief to seek a clarification about the crash.
"We will criticize the investigation and the procurement of TNIs main weaponry system from Russia, and the Houses recommendation of whether the TNI should use the Russian-made helicopter will depend on the results of the investigation," he added.
Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Julian A Pasha said on Sunday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had ordered an investigation into the cause of the crash.
"It is still too premature to draw a conclusion about the causes of the crash of the helicopter which was still relatively new," Julian said.
Julian was accompanying the President during a limited cabinet meeting at the guest room of the Heroes Cemetery Complex, where he said soldiers who had died in the line of duty should be given compensation.
The President, Julian said, had also asked that the dead victims bodies be evacuated soon.
The military MI-17 helicopter had crashed 10 meters before landing in Malinau, North Kalimantan, at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
"Based on an initial report, which is not a conclusion, the helicopter was only 10 meters away from landing when it was struck by strong winds, causing it to lose balance and its propeller to hit a nearby tree, resulting in the helicopter crashing into a valley," Army Chief of Staff General Budiman said in Magelang, Central Java, on Monday.
He made the statement after a ceremony held to mark the retirement of high ranking army officials at the Military Academy here.
General Budiman said that all of the dead had been evacuated, while the seriously injured had been transferred to the army hospital RSPAD Gatot Subroto in Jakarta.
(O001/INE/B003)
EDITED BY INE
(KR-BSR/B003)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
