Anti-Drug Day, a national illusion

Anti-Drug Day, a national illusion

Indonesia took part in World Anti-Drug Day for the first time
on Wednesday.

Drugs have become the nation's enemy, but political awareness
to fight the menace remains low. One of the indications is that
the National Drug Agency (BNN) has yet to be adequately organized
and managed, with a budget and laboratory.

It is now high time that the government empowered BNN and gave
it as many powers as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA).

Fighting drugs needs energy, goodwill, commitment and a long-
term strategy. Without determination, any anti-drug effort will
prove useless.

And current anti-drug efforts are useless. Will we have to
wait until the day our President's children become victims before
the government thinks it is time to fight it. -- Media Indonesia,
Jakarta

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State officials' extravagance

Is it proper for our Vice President to stage a wedding party
in the holy city of Mecca? If the nation was in a normal economic
situation and all Indonesian people were wealthy, nobody would
bat an eyelid. But since it is being done while the nation is in
crisis, what are people likely to say about it?

Although it has been mentioned by only one or two newspapers,
Vice President Hamzah Haz's plan to hold a wedding party in Mecca
has already provoked heated debate.

Those in favor say it is Hamzah's personal right, while those
who are against it say it reflects the absence of a sense of
crisis among the country's senior state officials.

Similar criticism was previously voiced about the lavish party
Attorney General MA Rachman gave to celebrate his daughter's
marriage and Taufik Kiemas's extravagant birthday party in Bali.

These criticisms should serve as a warning to all sides, that
the people are now keeping a close watch on what their leaders
do, not only in their capacity as public servants but also as
private individuals.

There is, in fact, a message in these criticisms, namely that
leaders should feel compassion for the ordinary people who daily
undergo the hardships of life. Hopefully, our leaders will
understand this message one day. -- Republika

28 June 2002
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Tommy's revelations Prioritas

Tommy Soeharto admitted in court that security personnel
helped him while he was on the run for 18 months.

The youngest son of former president Soeharto, who is a
defendant in a murder trial, was able to move from one place to
another freely, from his residence in plush Menteng to a
comfortable apartment in Central Jakarta without other people
noticing.

Tommy also told the court that he was able to stay at his
relatives' homes in the Taman Mini area and Surakarta, Central
Java, thanks to the police.

Therefore, the people who allowed the defendant to travel
freely and did not inform the police about the defendant's
whereabouts should be brought to court. If not, the Indonesian
people will never respect the law in this country.
-- Republika, Jakarta