Govt policies remain unclear

Govt policies remain unclear

From Media Indonesia

Flood disasters can technically be caused by high levels of rainfall, the wrong use of land, corrupt policies on development, negligence toward environmental conservation, etc.

Yet, spiritually, everything in this world happens because of the wishes of the Almighty God. Unfortunately, this truism is often made use of to justify the cause of a tragedy. This time, the deluge in the country, particularly in the capital city of Jakarta, was truly tragic. Yet, the government seems to regard this misfortune as a natural disaster. The government's stance on the present disaster should not become a polemic.

Personally visiting some inundated locations and keeping up with live reports broadcast by some television and radio stations, as well as reading some newspapers, I dare say that the government is really unclear in its policies. In my understanding, a government policy should become a meeting point between the public's needs and the government's platform or ideology.

Let's simplify this platform into a question "Where will the government bring this country to?" Say that the government has a democratic platform that I think should focus on justice. What's the government's difficulty in laying down a policy on the matter? If nationalism becomes its platform, whose main point, I think, is love for the country, why has the government drafted a policy against the environment, which, again, brings suffering to the general public?

HERU LELONO

The Agency for

National Studies

and Public

Communication

Jakarta