Is Indonesia really suffering from 'krismon'?

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