A house for Soeharto

Many people have reacted with astonishment upon hearing that the government was allocating Rp 26.6 billion for a house for former president Soeharto at Puri Jatiayu (Bali Pavilion), Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta.

As we see it, the government is unwise to spend such an amount of money on a yet another house for the former president while tens of millions of citizens are suffering under the never-ending crisis. People would, perhaps, better be able to understand the government's decision if former president Soeharto actually needed a house.

Amid popular demands for the eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism and other acts if social and political malfeasance committed during the New Order regime, the government's decision appears to show a total lack of insight with regard to the people's sensitivities.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta