Discipline and compromise

Discipline and compromise

From Merdeka

Apparently, the national discipline movement heralded on May 20, 1995 has fallen on deaf ears. Community life is as it was before.

Discipline does not need propagating. This is especially true if the target of the campaign is civil servants and Armed Forces members. Both have been sworn in to carry out their duties, though many of them do not do their jobs with discipline. Their indiscipline tends to harm both the state and the people.

The indiscipline of the government apparatus is most conspicuous on the road, in relation to traffic. In Semarang, traffic violations by public vehicles are no different from before May 20, 1995. These vehicles go past the offices of the police and the highway authority every day. Along their route, many police officers and highway patrolmen stand guard. With many vehicles carrying too many passengers, it can be said that the discipline movement has not changed driver behavior. Indiscipline has become part of our culture.

Public vehicle operators are wont to carry extra passengers to earn more money, both to meet their daily needs and to reach the income target set by the company. It is shameful that officials connive with traffic discipline violators at checkpoints along their route.

The above is a truthful observation that the discipline movement has not succeeded in changing the culture of compromise. The above practices are carried out by policemen, who should actually be the examples of discipline to the community.

METESE MULYONO

Semarang, Central Java