Discipline and human resources

A statement by a government official, saying that low discipline leads to unproductive human resources, as quoted by a prominent newspaper on Sept. 9, has attracted my attention.

I think it is true that national discipline is a reflection of a nation's culture. National discipline is also of great influence on the formation of our human resources, and will continue to be so in the future.

Without disciplined human resources it will be impossible for us to compete with other nations. Awareness of discipline should be instilled at an early age and not limited to certain circles. Discipline is a big problem, especially in developing countries and in countries where the community is largely poor. However, it is not impossible for our nation to surmount the problems of discipline if the following conditions are met:

* Government officials dispense with intricate bureaucracy and act in accordance with their authority.

* The law is consistently enforced.

* Standard regulations in government offices and in the community are applied.

If national discipline is achieved, there will automatically be better human resources and our nation can compete with other nations.

KIKI KOJONGIAN

Depok, West Java