"The commission has decided to set up a working committee to look into the Sukhoi deal," said Yasril Ananta Baharuddin, a member of the commission on defence and foreign affairs.

He told AFP the commission suspected the transaction had not followed proper procedures because it did not involve the defence ministry and because parliament's budget committee was not consulted.

He said the transaction only involved Trade Minister Rini Suwandi and Widjanarko Puspoyo, chief of the national logistics agency Bulog.

President Megawati Sukarnoputri signed an agreement with President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Russia in April to seal the 197 million-dollar aircraft purchase.

Officials said Indonesia would pay 13.5 percent of the purchase price in cash, with the balance to be settled through counter-trade in 11 commodities including palm oil and rubber.

The Jakarta Post quoted air force sources as expressing unhappiness with the deal, saying they need cargo aircraft to move personnel and stores around the archipelago rather than jet fighters.

Another legislator, Happy Bone Zulkarnaen, said failure to consult parliament on the deal constituted "contempt of parliament."

He said parliament in principle supported the purchase of the Sukhois but there were concerns over its compatibility with other military equipment.

Suwandi, Puspoyo and Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda will be questioned over the issue, he said.

Defense Minister Matori Abdul Jalil told legislators last month that the purchase was signed by the trade minister because it was part of Indonesia's efforts to boost exports.

"It happened that the commodities from the Russian part of the counter-trade were the Sukhois and other military equipment," Jalil said.

Since 1999 Indonesia has been under a US arms embargo. Washington refuses to lift it until the country comes clean on its military's backing of militia violence in East Timor that year.

WAR.WIRE