JP/7/F02

From Suara Karya

It is really regrettable that Indonesia, a country endowed with rich natural resources, is in crisis in practically all aspects of national life, as shown by the country's weak human resources and poor economic condition.

Unfortunately, the government, in its attempt to lift the country out of this multidimensional crisis, relies on policies that do not side with the little people. For example, the government's decision to raise fuel prices and telephone and electricity rates. Instead, the government's policies tend to defend the interests of business tycoons.

Another example of how the government fails to take into account the interests of the little people is that the interest rate on Bank Indonesia's promissory notes is kept at over 17 percent annually, so that many banks prefer to buy these promissory notes rather than channeling their funds to the public. As a result many small businesses are cash-strapped and have gone bankrupt.

The government must always remember that in its attempts to improve the country's economic condition, it must issue and implement policies that will revive the small-scale businesses of the little people.

ANDI SYAMSUDDIN

S. Sulawesi