If I were president

If I were president

If I were the president of Indonesia, the first thing I would
do is build as many prisons as possible. Then I would order the
police to capture and imprison every corruptor, which includes
corrupt tycoons, from government officials right up to the
president, directors of state-owned enterprises, directors of
companies belonging to tycoons etc.

Most rich Indonesians would probably go to jail, because only
a small number have made their fortunes honestly, while the rest
are no more than thieves of various sizes.

Those involved in hoodlum-like activities, under the guise of
social organizations, would also be categorized as the enemy of
the people, hence their leaders would be kept behind bars, while
their followers would be given a choice: Repent or follow them to
prison!

Farmers would be given sufficient land as well as technical
and financial help. More money would have to be printed to fund
all this, which would be against the IMF's guidelines and would
create inflation.

This new government would provide financial assistance to
anyone who could produce anything that could be sold, from pins
to planes. On the other hand, professionals relying on the
"smartness of tongue", like lawyers, politicians, economic
advisors and so forth would be suppressed as they do not benefit
the public.

With foreign thieves, like Freeport and others, a new
agreement would be made, which would allow them to take only 20
percent of what they have mined. The agreement would be
retroactive, so that all previously unbalanced profit-sharing
would be regarded as outstanding loans payable within a certain
period. Their countries would be responsible for these loans,
just like the IMF now pressurizes the Indonesian government to
repay private loans taken out by corrupt local tycoons.

Should the world, in particular the United States and its
allies, threaten to impose an embargo, then I would say: "Me
afraid? Never!"

TONTOWY DJAUHARI HAMZAH

Jakarta