Is Indonesia really suffering from 'krismon'?

JAKARTA (JP): A friend of mine recently remarked that he didn't really believe that Indonesia is at present undergoing its worst-ever crisis in history. "Why do you think so?" I asked him.

"Just look at the crowds in the supermarkets, malls, restaurants, recreation centers, karaoke halls, etc.", he said. "If you compare the pre-July 1997 situation, there are certainly less people gathering in these places, but not as few as one would normally expect, considering that the deepening economic crisis must be biting at people in all walks of life."

"You see", he added, "we read that millions have lost their jobs and that local buying power is greatly reduced. The rate of inflation has already crossed 70 percent this year. But, wherever you go, you don't feel there's any significant let up in people's merry-making. Where does the money come from for people to indulge in this kind of lifestyle? They spend as though there's no tomorrow!"

"Furthermore," he decided to have his full say, "See the chronic traffic jams that occur on the city streets. Don't you think that at least 50 percent of the private vehicles should be off the road, if the business downturn is as bad as it is described in the media? Where exactly are all the cars going? It's indeed a paradox. If seeing is believing, can you believe that Indonesia is reeling under a severe economic crisis?"

I reflected on his forthright comments. Yes, at least for some people, either the word krismon is not in their vocabulary or it's just "business as usual" for them! At the weekends, many restaurants are still packed to full capacity, and in fact, popular establishments, having regular clientele, continue to do roaring business, with customers even having to wait for their turn to enter the premises.

The other day, some of my female colleagues in the office were buying a famous brand of imported plasticware. In my opinion, these are nothing but glorious containers, touting some fancy gimmick words like "Kitchen Organizer", "Fridge Organizer", "Healthy Lifestyle", etc.

Obviously, such items don't come all that cheap -- the prices range from Rp 18,000 for a simple oval-shaped box to a hefty Rp 155,000 for a "Tulip Collection". Another item often bought by the staff are the air fresheners at Rp 5,000 per piece.

Wouldn't be better to avoid such purchases now? Merely because something is offered at a slightly discounted rate doesn't mean that we really need it -- certainly not in these turbulent times when frugal living is a must for everyone, more so, for fixed wage-earners.

Another disturbing trend is the use of credit cards by not so affluent Indonesians. Ask any city-bred middle-class Indonesian to show you his wallet and you will be shocked to find that most of them carry not just one but several credit cards!

Even before the monetary crisis, I used to advise my lower level staff to be careful with their spending habits and not to depend on credit cards for their living.

I even used to caution them, in a friendly way, that they might ultimately get into serious debt. Credit cards are meant only for convenience, never for credit.

Responsible credit card companies have even started to advise their clients to use the cards judiciously. In fact, I, as an expatriate, carry only one card, that too, an American Express charge card, and of course, I pay the dues promptly.

For today's elite group in this country, it's a totally different story. Apparently, they live in an exclusive world of their own, throwing lavish wedding parties in five-star hotels is one way to demonstrate to their friends and family that they continue to stay on top of the situation, despite the general setback suffered by others.

You might well ask what's wrong with rich people spending their money in whatever way they like -- it might even help kick start the dormant economy. I agree with this simple argument, but surely, flaunting one's wealth can't be considered appropriate in these times -- it may create social jealousy.

It's all right if one possesses money. But, one should never be possessed by money. Like science, money is a good servant but a bad master.

There is a need to encourage good social behavior among all the people. We can't be materialistic and self-centered. Wealth is not measured in terms of money only.

The greatest riches of all come from feeling how well we become part of a caring society. As learned Karen Blixen said: "The rich and the poor are two locked caskets, of which each, contains the key to the other."

People all over this region are mired in discontent and gloom, faced with an uncertain future. Life is getting harder and harder by the day for the poor. We have to show empathy and understanding for our less fortunate citizens, in whatever little ways we can think of.

For instance, whenever I go to the nearby traditional vegetable market, I collect from home all my old Jakarta Post newspapers and plastic bags, and distribute them for free to the vendors over there. This small gesture makes them very happy and I'm happy too.

In these critical times, we should all adopt simple living and high thinking. We can't afford to be extravagant. We must avoid waste and spend on what is essential only. And, most importantly, we should live within our means.

You must have by now concluded that I am a conservative person by nature. Well, yes, but I don't regret being one, all my lifetime!

-- D. Chandramouli