Govt has no sense of crisis: Cak Roes

SURABAYA: Respected national figure Roeslan Abdulgani, popularly known as Cak Roes, criticized President Megawati Soekarnoputri's administration, which, he said, had no sense of crisis, as indicated by the fuel and electricity price hikes.

"The government should adopt other alternatives that do not overburden the people," he said at the launch of his book Masa Kecilku di Surabaya (My childhood in Surabaya) here on Monday.

The other alternatives included greater efficiency, fighting corruption and taking to court errant business tycoons, he said. "The people would have no objection to any increase in fuel, electricity or telephone prices should those three things be done."

Cak Roes, a loyal follower of founding president Sukarno, Megawati's father, said he felt uneasy when the President called on the people to lead a simple life while many government officials and errant tycoons lived a luxurious one. --Antara