'I'd do anything to see my children eat well'

Many urban activists say the government's poverty eradication programs only work on the surface and are not sustainable, a situation they say contributes to the high number of malnutrition cases that have been discovered around the country. The Jakarta Post asked residents for their thoughts on the issue.

Bardi, 45, is a private driver. He lives with his wife and three children in Ciputat, Tangerang:

I work hard to feed my family and to send my children to school. My wife and I agree that we have to prioritize the children's need for nutritious food so they can study and become people we will be proud of.

I do not mind asking for boss for extra money to buy milk for my children. I would do anything to make sure my children eat well.

The malnutrition cases we read about in the paper or see on TV shock me. I mean, how can parents today know nothing about nutritious food for their children?

I apologize to the parents if the actual cause is poverty, because even if they had the knowledge they would not have the money to buy the food.

If that is the case, I think the government should take action to distribute more food to these people.

Ira Maya, 27, is a shop attendant at the Mal Cinere shopping center in South Jakarta. She lives in Cinere:

I think this matter should be our main concern, because more malnourished children means fewer quality human resources.

I do not have an opinion about the alarming number of recent malnutrition cases in the country, but I had thought that malnutrition just did not exist anymore. Me and my friends used to use the word to tease each other if we said something stupid.

I hope the government has the money and the resources to help the malnourished children, because even if normal people are willing to help we don't know what to do.

-- The Jakarta Post