Letter writers are agents of change<\/p>\n
I was happy to note that Gandhi Sukardi won a coveted honor
\nfrom the Indonesian Museum of Records for the amount of his
\nletters to The Jakarta Post. My hearty congratulations to him.<\/p>\n
Perhaps Gandhi's parents wanted him to be an idealist -- so
\nthey named him \"Gandhi\". His idealism is often reflected in his
\nletters. His writings show his sincere concern for happenings in
\nIndonesia and elsewhere. His sense of purpose, clarity of
\nthoughts and apt choice of words -- all these are truly
\nadmirable. The range of subjects that he has dealt with is
\nequally astounding.<\/p>\n
It was a great surprise to know that Laksamana Sukardi is a
\nson of Gandhi -- an illustrious family indeed. I can't say who
\nshould be proud of whom!<\/p>\n
Letter writing is a productive hobby. The foundation for
\nwriting is, undoubtedly, a passion for reading. Please, parents,
\ncreate an environment at home for children to pick up the reading
\nhabit. It is possible only if parents themselves spend some time
\nevery day reading at home.<\/p>\n
Writers are also keen observers. They would find it rather
\ndifficult to bottle up their opinions, especially when they feel
\nthey have something to contribute to society. I'm sure the public
\nappreciates their well-thought out comments.<\/p>\n
Is letter writing effective? I think so, otherwise renowned
\nnewspapers and magazines wouldn't provide space for readers to
\nexpress their views. It's a \"win-win\" game for all concerned --
\nthe writers, readers and the publications.<\/p>\n
Many readers of the Post tell me that the letters page is one
\nof their favorites. In fact, they first look at the name of the
\nwriter and only then proceed to read the contents. It appears
\nthat the Post's editorial policy of allowing a free flow of
\nopinions has made this column popular and well-read. The
\nsuppliers of goods and services also seriously take up the
\nconsumers' grievances expressed through the Post; and their
\nresponses are usually swift.<\/p>\n
I can recall the names of many letter writers who, over the
\nyears, made this column rewarding and entertaining. Chris Ashton
\nfor one, who used to send in letters incessantly, from wherever
\nhe was on the earth. Many wondered if he really existed. Was
\nsomeone in the Post ghostwriting, just to boost circulation? The
\nreason was that most of his letters were provocative and\/or
\ncontroversial.<\/p>\n
Then, there was Farid Baskoro, a learned writer who used to
\nwrite with a nationalistic fervor; Masli Arman, who I had the
\nprivilege of meeting some years ago; Sawrey-Cookson, the upright
\nBriton; G.S. Edwin, whose colonial English was often hard to
\nfathom; Buhari Abdu, the \"goodwill\" ambassador of Africa; Italian
\nPiero Ronci, the soccer specialist; Osvaldo Coelho of Bandung; A
\nDjuana, who fluently shares his life's experiences with us;
\nSoegih Arto; Aloysius Haryono; and, of course, brave Donna of
\nMedan -- and, finally, myself, having penned 120 letters to the
\nPost to date. I might have left out a few other writers, but it
\nwas not intentional.<\/p>\n
Letter writers, as agents of change, have a definite role to
\nplay in the society. So, Good Luck, Sukardi; and do keep writing.<\/p>\n
D. CHANDRAMOULI<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/letter-writers-are-agents-of-change-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }