Assets of Soeharto's cronies

Assets of Soeharto's cronies

From Rakyat Merdeka

As the Megawati government has been "compelled" to raise fuel prices as well as electricity and telephone rates for the sake of abolishing subsidies, why can't it wield its power to recover public funds misappropriated by former president Soeharto and his cronies?

The multidimensional crisis now plaguing the country continues to impoverish the common people. The price of basic necessities keeps rising, so the benefit of the government's public service should now be questioned. Why does the government also plan to allow more time to conglomerates incurring trillions of rupiah of debts, while ignoring the poor?

Despite the government excuse that the price hikes are directed at rich people and companies, it is ordinary citizens who will eventually bear the brunt of the policy. Is the government unaware of the growing mass of needy people in the country? The following examples are worthy of attention:

1. Increased fuel prices, after being raised twice, have caused higher transport costs and thus also commodity prices. Meanwhile, fuel subsidies, claimed to be shifted to the poor, are not evenly distributed to relevant communities due to manipulation by lower- ranking public officials.

2. Higher electricity costs for factory operation increase the price of manufactured products, which also have to be borne by the majority.

3. The increased price of industrial diesel oil forces plants to buy at a special rate. They, too, have to increase prices of their products, which will again be paid by poor consumers. Worse still, fishermen cannot afford to buy automotive diesel fuel for their fishing boats.

4. Higher telephone rates also make low-income people limit their communications, particularly those whose children work in far-off places to help cover family needs.

It seems that life is harder now than under the New Order government. It means that life was more comfortable under Soeharto's rule than in this reform period, regardless of whether or not Soeharto was corrupt.

Are the present authorities guaranteed not to be corrupt? It's a fact that yesterday was better than today.

PARLIND HUTAGALUNG

Bangka