Counterfeit banknote

Counterfeit banknote

Sometimes I long to see the sea and enjoy the sight of the
waves rolling majestically toward the beach, leaving a trail of
white salt behind. At night the sea apparently never sleeps and
becomes more restless. Only on a moonlit night does it become
calmer and murmurs. It stops rushing ashore.

But the last time I went to the fishing port famous for its
Samudra Beach Hotel built by president Sukarno (the town is
called Pelabuhan Ratu, about three hours drive from Jakarta) I
had an unpleasant but valuable experience. I have a small savings
account in rupiah at a well-known state bank. I withdrew some of
my money and two days later I went to a private bank to transfer
some of the cash to an institution in Central Java. An employee
of the bank refused to accept one note of Rp 20,000, declaring it
to be a counterfeit bill after she examined it under an infrared
scanner. She crossed the note with red ink and I had to replace
it with a genuine one.

After reading some news reports about the circulation of
counterfeit bills in a number of areas in Indonesia, including,
if I am not mistaken, in Sumatra and in Sulawesi, I was not
angered but only a bit irritated by the affair. The loss means
little to me in terms of its value. But it meant much in terms of
the inconvenience it caused because I was in a rush for an
interview with a local dignitary. Usually, I carry no more money
than I need.

The next morning I went to the marketplace to sound out the
common people on the matter. I found out they are uneasy because
counterfeit Rp 20,000 bills have been in circulation for some
time there. Each time somebody pays with Rp 20,000 at the bank,
he or she is asked about its authenticity.

As far as I know, those responsible for distribution of
counterfeit banknotes are punishable by law. Strangely enough,
the media has reported little about the arrest of the culprits.
For the common people, the government has done little or not
enough in informing the public that they need not to worry if
they happen to be in possession of counterfeit bills because they
can exchange them in government banks.

Sorry folks, I am not the president. Still, I urge the police
to do more about the matter. To the naked eye, there is almost no
difference in appearance and the quality of the paper of valid
and counterfeit bills. I have no information about the other
notes or the Rp 50,000 denomination, do you? Counterfeiting also
hurts the economy, especially the little man's economy.

As I returned home, the sea wind whispered that this was not
an example of corruption but only an attempt to cheat people.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta