A tough task lies ahead

A tough task lies ahead

Director-General of Land Transportation Santo Budiono and
State Railroad Company Director Edie Haryoto have announced their
resignation in the wake of the train crash that left four people
dead, reflecting their awareness of their public
responsibilities.

In his statement, Santo Budiono said, "I am resigning because
of my moral responsibility in the matter. Enough people have died
in accidents," adding that his resignation would not solve the
existing problems.

It is clear that whatever the reasons may be that have led to
so many railroad accidents, those reasons must be found and
eliminated. During the past year, for example, there were 136
train accidents and at least 23 of them occurred during the past
three months. A fairly clear indication of the hazardous
condition of our public transportation.

Now, our minister of communications has a most difficult task
to accomplish. He has to put in order all of our public
transportation systems, which indeed are in sad condition. The
condition has grown out of years of bureaucratic neglect because
our bureaucrats in the past were inclined to act only if lured by
lucrative projects, but also because too many members of the
public with no social conscience turned out to be destroyers --
vandals who like to destroy public property with zeal.

We welcome this "shame culture". We hope all this will serve
as a lesson for all of us and open the way for professionals and
morally principled people to man Indonesia's public services.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta