Garut officials fail to perform

Garut officials fail to perform

From Kompas

The news on July 11 and July 15 that a regional secretary warned that if the request by Garut civilian and military chiefs to non-indigenous people went unheeded, their security and safety could not be guaranteed, really offended our nationalist pride. The statement also added that ethnic and religious riots would some day break out in Garut.

Is it proper for an official to make such a provocative statement, which has sent shiver of restlessness down the spines of Garut residents? If a riot breaks out, it will not only affect non-indigenous people but all layers of society. Then, of course, the civilian and military chiefs should resign for not being able to perform their duties.

The culprit in all this is actually someone called Acun, who runs an illegal bank. Some 70 people of his customers are members of the police and the military. Acun failed to pay his customers.

It is strange that members of the police and the military plus some civilian members of the community trusted Acun, who is not a statutory body, and did not have him arrested for his illegal business.

On this score I am protesting strongly against the statement made by the regional secretary of Garut. The civilian and military chiefs of Garut must immediately retract the statement to avoid any uncalled for consequences by all parties.

GAN KOK KIANG, Sukabumi, West Java