IMF aid and strings

IMF aid and strings

From Ummat

At last IMF has agreed to help Indonesia tackle its monetary crisis with a US$23 billion loan. Other aid is also pouring in from Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and the United States. The combined aid is reportedly as much as $30 billion.

Faisal Basri said in Ummat (Nov. 10, 1997) that the funds provided were not without specific interests. Japan has to safeguard its investments here. Malaysia is reluctant to accommodate Indonesian illegal workers. So is Singapore. And IMF demands clean government, smoother democratization and the abolishment of monopolies. Their demands seem to be positive in nature and aimed to enhance prosperity and justice.

These requirements have been mentioned before.

AIRLANGGA N. SATYA

Jakarta