Crisis help

Crisis help

From Media Indonesia

The government has taken an impressive step to relieve the people's suffering by appealing to high-ranking officials to contribute to the government.

The President, his ministers and officials of the first echelon are contributing their basic salaries for one year to help the needy. We appreciate this generous gesture, but to expand this system to involve the state employees of the fourth category needs further consideration. Not all of the latter are economically strong to support the scheme. Many of them only depend on their fixed salaries, which are insufficient to maintain even a modest life.

Meanwhile, the state has received contributions from different quarters in the form of gold and money through the Love Indonesia drive. Also, some female workers contributed to the government and school children keep aside some of their pocket money to be contributed to the government.

Greater contributions, in my opinion, may be expected from wealthy foundations (say 50 percent of their wealth). Government officials of the first and second echelons may contribute 10 percent of their wealth. Last but not least, the business tycoons who have enjoyed government facilities should contribute to the state.

SUHEIMI

Jakarta