IMF's role

IMF's role

Is it fair if I compare the current economic crisis to the
latest movie Titanic? The music was still playing while the ship
was sinking. Why are we still arguing while we actually know that
we're running out of time? It seems that there's nothing much we
can do but carry out the package deal assigned by the IMF.

Why has it taken so long for the IMF to disburse the promised
aid? Are they playing games with us or is it because they know
that we haven't fulfilled our part of the bargaining struck with
them? Let's prove to them that we're more than serious about it
and make them understand that we could not possibly be playing
games with the fate of millions of people at stake.

Are we losing our national pride by committing ourselves to
what we have promised to do? Of course not! Instead, we are
showing the world that we are a responsible and sensible nation
that is willing to make sacrifices to save our nation from the
economic chaos, a nation that is consistent in what it says and
what it does. Our steps reflect our dignity.

Many prominent intellectuals, including the former finance
minister Frans Seda and the economist Emil Salim, think that the
IMF is the only key to rescue us from the economic troubles
because there's no one able to drop such a large amount of
funding needed by us to restore our economy situation back into
order.

I was alarmed when I read in the newspaper that the United
States might block the next handout and the IMF might delay the
rescue. That would instantly cause the rupiah to plunge in value.
If that happens the situation can't possibly get any better.

People have been crying out for help and longing for the
results and improvements to be realized. I keep the country and
its people in my prayers. Allow me to make a call, however, to
both Indonesia and the IMF, that they join hands to make things
work out or else they would fail and we would all lose.

JENNY LAURITZ KHOENG

Jakarta