Beggars become source of ire

PADANG, West Sumatra: Residents in the West Sumatra capital are complaining of beggars and homeless exhibiting criminal tendencies. Residents, particularly women, said they were forced to give money.

The social welfare office here recently acknowledged the increase in beggars since the crisis, apart from the homeless and informal traffic directors similar to those in Jakarta.

The secretary of the Minangkabau traditional customs institution, Kamardi Rais D.P. Simulie, said residents should turn to traditional values, in which locals took care of their own so that the existence of the destitute among them was not allowed.

The poor, Kamardi said, would have many relations. "They have many kin within their customary communities; they have uncles and nephews, or within their specific ethnic groups..." he said. (28)