Herculean task<\/p>\n
From Rakyat Merdeka<\/p>\n
With a population of 210 million, Indonesia sustains offshore
\nloans worth US$145 billion, the legacy of the New Order. These
\nloans are made up of government loans ($70 billion) and
\ngovernment-guaranteed private debts, of which part of the
\ninterest and the principal has been settled.<\/p>\n
During the New Order era, corruption, collusion and nepotism
\nwere rampant and 35 percent of the development fund allocated in
\nthe state budget disappeared. In the regions, part of this fund
\nwould again vanish.<\/p>\n
When drafting the state budget, the fund for offshore loan
\nrepayment, totaling Rp 56 trillion, came from loans, assets of
\nstate-owned enterprises and the Indonesian Bank Restructuring
\nAgency, and also from the people through higher taxes and
\nincreased power and telephone rates and fuel prices.<\/p>\n
Indonesians are now shouldering a very heavy burden. To make
\nmatters worse, efforts to recoup the state's assets stolen by
\n\"black\" tycoons and corrupters have yet to bear fruit. To comfort
\nlaymen, there have been reports of irregularities amounting to
\ntrillions of rupiah uncovered by the Supreme Audit Agency and the
\nDevelopment and Financial Control Board. The law does not seem to
\nwork.<\/p>\n
Even regarding President Megawati's explanation about this
\nmatter to Indonesians living in Japan, some domestic figures have
\ncommented that this is but another form of lip service.<\/p>\n
In this context, law enforcement agencies must be responsive
\nto the President's statement and follow it up with action. After
\nall, they are paid by the people and are required to take action
\nagainst officials and community members for their crimes.<\/p>\n
About the increasing exchange rate of the U.S. dollar, nobody
\nwill be successful in keeping in check the soaring rate of U.S.
\ndollar against rupiah. The reason? External factors and an
\nincreasing demand for U.S. dollars as this is time for the
\nbusinessmen concerned to repay their debts.<\/p>\n
MARSOESI<\/p>\n
Surabaya<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/herculean-task-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }