'Reform makes the rich richer, the poor poorer'<\/p>\n
On May 21, 1998, then president Soeharto yielded to demands to
\nstep down during the bloody rallies that followed the earlier May
\nriots. Five years have passed since then and the country has seen
\nthree presidents. Yet, many people have voiced the same
\ncriticism: The country's leaders have failed to make things
\nbetter. Some city residents told The Jakarta Post that the reform
\nmovement has been useless.<\/p>\n
Si Kar, 28, sells backpacks on the sidewalks of Ciputat,
\nTangerang. He lives in Ulujami, South Jakarta, with his wife and
\nson and other relatives:<\/p>\n
In terms of my life, things were much better under former
\npresident Soeharto. At that time, I did not have much trouble in
\ntrying to survive. I could sell my goods anywhere in the city.<\/p>\n
I didn't have to worry so much about raids by the city public
\norder officials as I do now. I could earn up to Rp 2 million in a
\nweek by selling bags.<\/p>\n
But since his resignation, I have had a far tougher life. I
\nhave been shut down three times in raids. It seems that new
\nvendors are not allowed to run a business in this city.<\/p>\n
The price of staple food and other daily needs went up so high
\nthat low-income earners were hardly able to afford them.<\/p>\n
Even now, I try not to use the (public) toilet so I can save
\nthe Rp 700 fee. However, I usually have to use it three times a
\nday when I'm at work.<\/p>\n
It's been real tough scraping together the Rp 50,000 a day I
\nneed to cover my family's expenses, which include food,
\ntransportation and daily rent.<\/p>\n
It's been a much tougher life since the beginning of the so-
\ncalled reform era. It hasn't reformed anything. It's nonsense.
\nRich people keep getting richer and corrupt officials keep
\ngetting more corrupt. Meanwhile, the poor just keep getting
\npoorer.<\/p>\n
Natsir, 33, is a parking attendant working in Blok M, South
\nJakarta. He lives in Mampang, South Jakarta, with his fellow
\nemployees:<\/p>\n
With all the talk about unity these days, to be honest, I have
\ngot to hand it to former president Soeharto, who kept the country
\ntogether with the strict way he ran it.<\/p>\n
The situation in the country was far safer back then. And it
\nhelped low-income earners be able to make ends meet. Prices were
\nalso controllable, despite rampant corruption during his
\ndictatorship.<\/p>\n
But I'll tell you the truth: Nobody deserves any credit for
\nbeing a good leader other than first president Sukarno.<\/p>\n
So, in general I can't really single out one president from
\nthe last four who is worthy of praise. They have not made the
\ncountry any better.<\/p>\n
They are all typical politicians who do not take the people's
\nside. They are too busy enriching themselves. Reform has meant
\nnothing at all!<\/p>\n
Dedi, 23, sells newspapers along Jl. Melawai, South Jakarta.
\nHe lives in Kreo, South Jakarta, with his friends:<\/p>\n
I think all of the country's leaders are capable of ruling the
\nnation, but their image has been tainted by corrupt
\nadministrators.<\/p>\n
People were far better off under Soeharto, despite all the
\ncorruption and collusion, which was out of control at the time.<\/p>\n
As a capable leader, the President should make every effort to
\nhelp the poor survive by providing them with rice, for example.<\/p>\n
I have never seen any rice being handed out in my village in
\nWest Java. Most of it gets taken before it is distributed.
\nOfficials are so corrupt that the aid never reaches the people it
\nis targeted for.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, the public should not just blame the leaders. It
\nwould be better if they criticize themselves first before
\ncriticizing others.<\/p>\n
If people keep on blaming the leaders, I don't think anyone
\ncan be regarded as the right person to lead this country. What's
\nworse is that in the name of reform, people tend to protest and
\ncriticize others without taking a look at themselves.<\/p>\n
-- Leo Wahyudi S<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/reform-makes-the-rich-richer-the-poor-poorer-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }