Corruption and unemployment

One sometimes wonders if the squabbling members of the House of Representatives (DPR) never read newspapers and take action where it is really needed. In the March 31 edition of The Jakarta Post, a representative of the Indonesian Textile Association (API) clearly points out that the industry pays 29 types of bribe amounting to 22 percent of the sector's production costs.

By eradication of corruption and providing efficient government services, this sector could attract many more investors. The result would be more (and better paid) jobs and more exports. For those with a social awareness reaching as far as the length of their nose, this may not be understood: money to government workers is as good as money to (really productive) workers in factories. But the fact is that many unemployed people cannot afford proper food and medical care and simply die before their time. Thus, corruption does kill and has many more negative side effects, a lack of school attendance and undernourishment being two of them.

So, who in Indonesia will act up? when will the death penalty for big corruptors be established as in China? When will members of API, coordinated and acting as one, stop paying bribes and blame the culprits for it when they lose export orders as a result of delays? If well explained, they could get the support of their clients as they can have competitive suppliers in the future.

Can Mayor Iswara Natanegara of Bogor understand the link between his 49,000 unemployed people and corruption? (see page 3 of the same issue of the Post).

DPR is creating political instability and focuses on its members' power instead of representing Indonesians. The quicker new elections are held the better are chances are that real reformers will come in. And Indonesians should act, this has nothing to do with communism but with the wish to live, at the same time allowing others to do the same.

BOUDEWIJN BRANDS

Amsterdam