Another government faux-pas

Only few months ago, the local media was full of the government's bright idea to introduce a US$50 tax for tourists who want to spend their holidays in beautiful Indonesia, and to replace the 60-day tourist visa with a 30-day one.

Now, another act of monumental dim-wittedness has entered the political stage, this time directed by the Ministry of National Education's Language Center: All expatriates have to pass a Bahasa Indonesia proficiency test.

With all due respect for Indonesia, its people and language: Get real!

Add up the costs to set up and run institutions and staff to hold these tests throughout Indonesia (and please, do not forget to include the "donation" money, paid by expatriates who prefer to bypass this test), and this large amount should be invested in teachers' training, so that something like the following cannot happen.

A good friend of mine, a senior high school student, had not once seen his English teacher in class over the last school year, but passed his final!

Final pop quiz for the Ministry of National Education: Why do you let rich Indonesians (only a few percent of the population, the majority of whom are poor) send their children abroad to study (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 24, p. 18)?

If your answer is correct, you are upgraded for the next faux- pas.

MICHAEL P. BEER Amlapura, Bali