Civil servants' pay

As President Soeharto remarked, the government is aware of the fact that the monthly pay received by civil servants is inadequate. Nevertheless, the President said, this should not be used as a pretext for corruption or for unrightfully wanting to own other people's property. The government is continually trying to improve the welfare of civil servants.

We agree with President Soeharto that even if the salaries of civil servants were raised, the amount would always be felt to be insufficient. Therefore, as the President said, one needs to develop the art of making ends meet. As can be observed, one of the reasons our people are able to survive under difficult circumstances is our ability to find infinite means to survive.

We greatly appreciate President Soeharto's admission that our civil servant salaries are insufficient. It signals that the government will continue to think of means to improve the situation. This is good news. Any increase is welcome, however small.

-- Pikiran Rakyat, Bandung