Now or never!<\/p>\n
Hard as one may try to welcome New Year 2004 with a smile, the
\nmonth of December has brought to many Indonesians, if I may speak
\non their behalf, pessimistic sentiments. Even the prospect of the
\nnew-style general elections, with new breed of national
\nleaders and legislators in sight, has failed to clear the mind.
\nTwo burning issues will stay at the forefront in the coming year
\nas leftovers of the present upheavals: The combats against
\nterrorism and corruption.<\/p>\n
The most enigmatic human behavior is that the terrorizing of
\nothers seems, among some Indonesians, to have become a way of
\nthinking to achieve their aims. And it looks as though that trend
\nis here to stay, despite an intensive campaign by religious
\nleaders.<\/p>\n
This country may in the coming year succeed in ridding itself
\nforever of a heavy foreign debt burden. However, a major
\ncontribution to the internal suppression of terrorist tendencies
\nis the removal of poverty and social injustice, unlikely to be
\nachieved effectively during the next regime of Indonesian
\nleaders, mainly due to a lack of fresh thinking and an old-
\nfashioned mind-set.<\/p>\n
The worst prospect is the combat against corruption. It seems
\nthat only the naive believe that those responsible for the Rp 1.7
\ntrillion BNI scam will ever get what they deserve, although the
\nswift police investigation into the affair is commendable.<\/p>\n
The national anticorruption commission is faced with an
\nimpossible mission in removing a contagious disease from which
\nalmost everybody is suffering -- the disease of stealing from and
\nnot serving the community. Crucial to its success is integrity,
\npolitical honesty, consistency and courage in dealing with the
\ntask. Remember, the warning bell rings only twice: Now or never!<\/p>\n
GANDHI SUKARDI
\nJakarta<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/now-or-never-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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