28 NURI COPTERS STILL SAFE FOR USE, SAYS DEPUTY MINISTER

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- Twenty-eight Nuri helicopters used by the
Malaysian Armed Forces since 1968 are still being utilised as they are still
safe for use, said Deputy Defence Minister Abu Seman Yusop.

However, their utilisation was limited in terms of the hydraulic system and
they were only being used in the day time and in good weather to ensure the
safety of the passengers, he told the Senate when replying to a supplementary
question from Senator Rizuan Abdul Hamid.

The Deputy Minister refuted the perception of certain groups that the Nuri
helicopters were unsafe as they were considered to be 'old equipment', saying
that the helicopters were still serviceable.

Replying to Rizuan's original question why the purchase of the Eurocopter
was not continued despite the fact that it had complied with the tender
procedure, Abu Seman said the world economic recession had forced the government
to review and postpone certain projects.
-- BERNAMA