Firmness of action called for

It is a pity that with regard to the various problems that are at present bothering our society -- the violent riots in particular -- different views seem to prevail among our authorities in charge of ensuring public security. Some officials are saying that the recent outbursts of violence were the work of provocateurs, while others assert that those incidents were purely criminal in nature. Such confusion obviously does not help to allay the public's fears.

Firmness, and not just force, is under current circumstances called for -- indeed, it is an absolute necessity if normal living conditions are to be maintained. It is all the more important now that Indonesia is about to enter a most critical stage with the approach of the general election scheduled for June 7.

In this kind of situation, all of us, but security officials in particular, are called upon to show their commitment to putting the interests of the nation foremost and to making every effort to ensure that public order is maintained and that a sense of security prevails among the people. Only by doing so can we as a nation hope to get through these critical times with the least possible social, economic and political damage.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta