The enemy within?<\/p>\n
It may sound like a title from a movie but it rather
\nencompasses an issue which has been on everyone's mind: The
\nmonetary crisis and the recent panic buying spree. According to
\ngovernment officials, who give us various reassuring spoken
\ngestures, the situation is under control and there should be no
\nreason to worry.<\/p>\n
I'm not denying that the government has been making an effort
\nbut it seems to be inadequate to convince the business community
\nand the people. This is evident from the recent buying spree and
\nvicious rumors of food shortages. The authorities have not made
\nswift and concrete steps to address the current situation.<\/p>\n
Reforms forwarded by the IMF should be studied carefully and
\nexecuted according to the demands of the Indonesian market. The
\nrecommended closure of certain banks may have had its economic
\nbenefits, but in psychological terms it has brewed public doubt
\nand worry, and for bank customers, panic.<\/p>\n
These are the emotions that have been stirring within the
\neconomic community as well as the people. Ever since the rupiah
\nstarted falling, a lot of people have been worried, and as the
\nsituation has worsened, panic has set in. The people really need
\nsome sort of direction and motivation apart from consoling. They
\nneed to be shown the progress being made, the clear steps that
\nare being taken and, most of all, the efforts they can make to
\nhelp.<\/p>\n
The \"Love Rupiah\" campaign initiated by Mbak Tutut is
\ncertainly a positive step. But I am not convinced that any
\nbusinessman in his right mind would ever convert a substantial
\namount of his wealth that is in U.S. dollars to rupiah if there
\nwas no profit in doing so. From a superficial point of view,
\nchanging dollars to rupiah would appear profitable, but in view
\nof the instability and inflation, I wouldn't rush. Indonesians
\nshould be encouraged to buy homemade items and not rely on
\nimports. They should travel locally and promote exports.<\/p>\n
I wonder how our forefathers, who sacrificed much for the
\ncountry's independence, would feel if they could see how the
\ncurrent generation cannot overcome a situation that really
\nrequires teamwork and cooperation between the government and the
\npeople. The recent buying spree does show a certain amount of
\ndistrust, but what surprised me most was that it was mostly the
\nmiddle and upper class who rushed to the stores. In a way, their
\nquality of education, patriotism and awareness should be
\nquestioned since they are the product of good upbringing
\naccording to Indonesian standards.<\/p>\n
Another more disturbing fact concerning the crisis is that the
\nprices of all sorts of commodities have gone up. This will have
\nan impact on all levels of society. I fear that when the buying
\npower of the average person on the street is substantially
\nreduced, it could lead to a potential time bomb.<\/p>\n
In a country where riots occur monthly on average, riots may
\nbecome even more frequent and widespread. I have the fullest
\nconfidence that the government can overcome this inflation by
\ntaking proper measures. I would recommend that a special
\ncommittee be set up to fix and monitor the prices of the nine
\nbasic food items.<\/p>\n
We should always bear in mind that it is the people who have
\nthe power, therefore a hotline should be set up for the public to
\nvoice any complaints.<\/p>\n
RUBAN SIVANOLI<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-enemy-within-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }