Are we ready for discipline?

From Pos Kota

The movement calling for nationwide disciplined behavior was heralded again recently. Even President Soeharto called on members of the National Discipline Movement to give the rest of the nation examples of discipline in action.

Members of the movement have been active in the streets educating the community on everyday discipline. They cleaned up the rubbish from the sewers along the streets in market areas on a day they called "Clean Friday". Even Jakarta administration officials erased graffiti from bus shelters.

Is the task of the movement finished? Has the community been made aware of discipline? It is true that there is a positive impact from the presence of these teams in the streets?

We still see drivers continuing on as before whenever there are none of the teams around: stopping anywhere on the street without regard for the traffic, parking in no-parking zones, etc. There are still many people who throw away cigarette butts, candy and cigarette wrappers, tissue paper and water bottles wherever they please. They all do it without any apparent feeling of guilt.

If this is so, why do we not learn from our neighbors in Singapore? There, smoking in lifts results in a fine of S$1,000, the equivalent of Rp 1.3 million. Apparently there are no uniformed security officers around, but some are dressed in civilian clothes. No citizen dares to violate the regulation. They feel they are being observed by supervisors who are ready to catch anybody red-handed.

FAISOL

Jakarta