Five day holiday

Five day holiday

From Kompas

I agree wholeheartedly with the Kompas editorial on Feb. 19. One has to conclude that poor order and discipline prevails in some parts of the nation.

The habit of ignoring regulations and the law is still rampant and has reduced the National Discipline Movement to mere lip service. Numerous regulations are being given a cold shoulder.

Of course, not every Indonesian is disorderly and undisciplinary. Those who are in the employ of private concerns are usually an orderly and disciplinary lot, even though not every private employee enjoys a high salary. Indonesians living abroad also behave in an orderly and disciplinary manner. They know how to queue and wait their turn, they do not litter, they follow traffic rules, and so on.

In my opinion, disorderly behavior has its roots in a weak and paltry execution of the law. And this has resulted in insecurity. Order and disorder, disciplined and undisciplined, there is no longer a discerning line between the two. Disorderly people have openly become law offenders. Orderly persons, on the other hand, do increasingly get the feeling that they are not appreciated. Law enforcement is almost nonexistent. It is just an expression with little meaning.

I oppose the idea that the problem of absenteeism should be extenuated by stretching the Idul Fitri holiday. Do we also need to extend Christmas, Waisak, and Nyepi public holidays? The suggestion is quite uneducative and opposed to unity and integration of the nation.

The daily's editorial really hit the mark by suggesting a holiday shift be established in all departments. Department heads should be able to exercise control and order at all levels. Strict penalties should be introduced, regardless of rank or position.

As long as law enforcement is in limbo, absenteeism will be a constant problem, even if public holidays were to be extended. How will the nation face the ongoing period of globalization if it still nurtures this idea? I would like to add another suggestion for the Minister of National Development Planning. Official public holidays which fall on Sundays should be moved to Mondays . This would not add to the number of annual public holidays established by government.

ARIKH R. MUNARIO

Jakarta