Return to sender<\/p>\n
The Japanese people's disquiet about Indonesia's handling of
\nits rice aid is a classic example of the low opinion foreigners
\nhave of the Indonesian government's integrity. They have good
\nreason to be apprehensive. After all, Indonesia is ranked among
\nthe world's most corrupt nations by the Berlin-based corruption
\nwatchdog Transparency International, and tops the list in Asia.
\nEven the Indonesian government itself places scant trust in its
\nown bureaucracy, exemplified by painfully slow disbursement of
\nbillions of dollars of foreign aid intended for various social
\nsafety net programs to help the poor.<\/p>\n
The recent disclosure that a huge proportion of World Bank
\nfunds in Indonesia was siphoned off by government officials is
\nonly one more reason for anyone who has any dealings with
\nIndonesia to be suspicious. When that dealing is prompted by a
\nhumanitarian calling, as in the case of the Japanese rice aid,
\nthen donors have the right to demand transparency.<\/p>\n
Japan's concern was prompted by news reports, subsequently
\nconfirmed by the Indonesian government, that only a fraction of
\nthe 550,000 metric tons of rice shipped from Japan has actually
\nbeen distributed. Most of it is languishing in government
\nwarehouses. The news, played up by the Japanese media, raised
\nalarm about what will ultimately become of the donation and
\nprompted speculation about possible irregularities. It was
\ntherefore natural for the Japanese government, which at the end
\nof the day must be accountable to its taxpayers, to demand
\nIndonesia set the record straight.<\/p>\n
Tokyo's inquiries have been met, unfortunately, by responses
\nwhich are not only unsatisfactory, but at times have come across
\nas arrogant. They have done nothing to clear the mist of
\nconfusion already blurred by Indonesia's shoddy image abroad.<\/p>\n
Minister of Trade and Industry Rahardi Ramelan, who is also
\nchief of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), contends the
\nJapanese rice is of a high grade the poor cannot afford. Or, put
\nin other words, the rice is too good for Indonesia's needy.
\nWitness that the government has been giving out grade three rice
\n-- the lowest quality -- in its aid package to the poor. The
\nJapanese rice is earmarked instead as part of Bulog's open market
\noperations to stabilize prices, to be sold at whatever price it
\nfetches.<\/p>\n
Rahardi argued that releasing the Japanese rice in the market
\nat lower than market prices would undermine the market itself,
\nhurting local farmers who produce high quality rice and who would
\nsuddenly be thrust into competition.<\/p>\n
The minister no doubt irked the Japanese when he dismissively
\nstated Indonesia's use of the rice was its own business because
\nthe rice was a loan that would have to be repaid (The rice aid is
\nan interest-free loan repayable in kind in 30 years). He vouched
\nfor Bulog's long experience in the management of rice
\ndistribution, sidestepping the ugly fact that it ranks
\nprominently among the many government agencies most notorious for
\ncorruption, collusion and nepotism.<\/p>\n
Rahardi's comments make plain economic sense and go some way
\nto explaining why the rice is still taking up space in government
\nwarehouses. But it falls flat in countering the reasoning that
\nholding onto the rice contravenes the original intent of the
\nshipment, to help the needy in Indonesia. On this count, the
\nJapanese have every right to be upset as well as suspicious.<\/p>\n
If we follow Rahardi's line of argument that the rice is too
\ngood for his poor countrymen and women, and its distribution in
\nthe market would pose serious competition for local farmers, then
\nthere is only one way out of this dilemma which addresses the
\nproblems of all concerned: Send the rice back to Japan, with a
\nfitting thank-you note. Keeping the rice in warehouses does
\nnobody any good; it could even get wet in the rainy season and
\nferment into sake. Rahardi would really have his work cut out for
\nhim in explaining that one.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/return-to-sender-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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