A slap in the face

I read with interest and sympathy the sad experience of Nosi Lestariwati, whose car was hit by an expatriate driver who has been uncooperative in arranging for proper compensation. She asks: "How can a foreigner be so free to act here?" I ask the same question in reverse, in connection with my own harsh experience: "How can an Indonesian be so free to act here?" I wasn't hit by a car, but with a fist in the face, unpaid loans of a substantial amount, betrayal of trust and friendship, and a callous disregard for decent and responsible behavior. This happened after sharing a house with an Indonesian "friend", a lecturer in psychology.

This woman teaches at a respected institution of higher learning in Indonesia. I must ask, is this the kind of woman being offered as an example to the youth of Indonesia? Surely such behavior violates the requirement that an Indonesian teacher be of good morals and reputation.

Nosi's experience and my own show that in a time of increasing globalization and international contact, Indonesia must create a better legal framework for protecting both Indonesians and foreigners who experience problems in cross-national encounters.

SARAH E. MURRAY

Jakarta