Kupang, the dirtiest city? Shame!

When I read the email letter written by Zafar Young from Singapore proposing that Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), get an award for the dirtiest and nosiest city in Indonesia, I was not surprised.

The government and the people of the city don't seem to realize how their actions and way of living is impacting on the area. Is there no one there who sees how dirty their city is and what about the government, which has the power and authority to put in place controls to make urban living nicer? Is there no one in the administration or the police who is able to persuade people that their noisy audio systems bother other people or even violate their human rights to peace and quiet?

As an Indonesian living abroad, I feel very ashamed when I read this kind of news, especially from visitors to Kupang who leave with bad memories of the city.

These kind of stories should give the regional government and the mayor of Kupang something to think about.

Don't they have sufficient power to create rules based on national law to make Kupang clean, calm and safe? We will never attract investors and tourists to come to our region if we leave these problems uncontrolled.

SEVERIN MEO GOA, Adelaide, Australia