Disintegration at our doorstep

Disintegration at our doorstep

At present, as economic ruin and disintegration are
threatening the nation, we must maintain the courage to reject
things that are deleterious to our national interest, however
hard the possible consequences may be. President Abdurrahman
Wahid's remark that he will be willing to talk to anyone who is
ready to talk, but will be tough with anyone who wants to
unilaterally impose their will on others, is appropriate in this
context. In times such as these, leaders are expected to possess
both intellectual prowess and firmness of resolution.

The threat of disintegration is waiting at our doorstep. This
threat originates mainly from provinces that are endowed with
adequate reserves of natural resources and are therefore capable
of paying for their own needs. This kind of thinking, however,
has been long since abandoned. Many countries at present prefer
to promote the quality of their human resources rather than rely
on their natural resources. Hopefully, the elites in our restive
provinces are truly aware of all the implications of their
demands.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta