Is it really a monetary crisis?

Whenever there is a problem, I hear 'krisis moneter' (monetary crisis). Is it really? I do not believe in this excuse. Indonesians go through a 'krisis mentalitas' (crisis of mentality) in the first place. No doubt, there are many problems in Indonesia, but to overcome these, the present mentality or attitude has to change. If you want 'reformasi' (reform) you must know what this means. Can you really define in detail the changes you want? Or are these just some catchwords, which were picked up and are being repeated over and over again?

At present, the general tendency in Indonesia is to lower quality and service but at the same time, to increase the price. I have seen this with my own eyes all around Indonesia, whether it is for locally produced goods or for services. I have spoken to dozens of foreign tourists in Bali who complain about the deterioration of the vacation quality and they are considering changing destinations for their next holidays.

I have traveled around the country and have seen how shortcuts in production are taken, just to save expenses, but with the result of lowering the standard, which until now was very good. Is this the right approach to attract foreign buyers or tourists? Not according to my understanding; on the contrary, it should be the other way around.

The Chinese, a minority in Indonesia, control a very large share of the business. Whether it is liked or not, is not the issue here. They achieved domination through their shrewdness and their willingness to invest. Only if the Chinese and their money return, will the Indonesian economy rebound. What kind of guarantees have the Chinese community received so far to protect their safety and money?

More sacrifices are being requested of the poor. What about all the rich Indonesians who transferred their money out of the country? If Indonesians have no confidence in their own country, why should others? For the wealthy Indonesians, investments in their homeland should be the logical consequence of long-term planning and not a sacrifice. But logic no longer seems to be a forte in these decisions.

The IMF, the World Bank other institutions and countries will invest in Indonesia again if Indonesians were willing to bet on their own country. It is a matter of illustrating to the whole world that Indonesians believe in themselves. Changes cannot be demanded of others but must come from within.

PETER M. GANZ

Semarang, Central Java