Instilling discipline

Instilling discipline

In the words of Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman, our national sense of discipline is well below that of Singapore and Malaysia. This lack of discipline can be seen in traffic flow, working habits and patterns of cleanliness.

All this naturally has its reasons. We believe a study is in order to find out those reasons and the possible solutions. Thus far, none of the high institutions of state have taken any concrete steps or formulated any policies designed to instill discipline.

Actually some sporadic surveys have been made regarding the perceived decline in our national sense of discipline. And some measures have been formulated, among other things, the introduction of the principle of built-in control in government agencies. And speeches on the need to maintain discipline have been made by officials from the level of the President on down, but apparently without much effect.

Minister Soesilo Soedarman's concerns are justified. We believe they deserve the proper response from all of us in order that the sense of discipline, among the public, as well as government officials, can be established and brought on a par with that of our neighboring countries.

-- Sinar Pagi, Jakarta