Let's curb crime

Let's curb crime

Three unidentified men in an Isuzu Panther van robbed Abdul
Nasir, a 40-year-old Singaporean, of his Kijang van in Cikarang,
Bekasi, West Java, on Saturday. Blindfolded and tied up, Nasir
and his partner Nia were dumped on the roadside and the thieves
made away with his vehicle.

Earlier in the same day, two people stole a bag containing Rp
4 million cash from a Japanese national, Ichida, in Kembangan,
West Jakarta. Ichida and her driver were busy replacing a flat
tire on the car when two men on a motorcycle approached and the
pillion rider snatched Ichida's hand bag and escaped on their
motorcycle.

The two robberies are just more depressing evidence that
criminal acts can take place anywhere at anytime in Greater
Jakarta. Thus they must become a reminder to Jakarta Police Chief
Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara to improve law and order. Security
in Jakarta needs serious attention and action as the capital
city's security is the barometer of other areas in this country.

Makbul has said that the city crime rates in 2003 would remain
high. National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar has also
emphasized in his year-end press briefing that armed robbery
would remain high in 2003.

This means that police are admitting that they cannot
completely prevent or deter crime, and thus people's
participation in enhancing security in their neighborhoods is
vital.

Unfortunately, in this society we cannot leave the security in
the hands of the police as security is the concern of all
citizens.

-- Suara Karya, Jakarta

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ANPAk..r..
Otherop-ETimor-unfortunate
Unfortunate East Timor
2

Unfortunate East Timor

There has been little good news from East Timor since its
independence on May 20, 2002.

The bloody incident on Saturday, Jan. 4, has obviously shocked
many people. A group of people garbed in balaclavas attacked
residential areas in the district of Atsabe, killing three locals
and injuring some others.

The bloody attacks are particularly sensitive as the
assailants were allegedly former militiamen who had supported
East Timor's integration with Indonesia. Indeed, East Timor's
presidential palace Chief of Staff Agio Pereira tended to confirm
that the assailants were former pro-Jakarta militiamen. Minister
of Foreign Affairs Jose Ramos-Horta had earlier stated that
former pro-Jakarta militiamen were involved in the Dec. 4, 2002,
riots in Dili. Two people were killed in the clashes.

However, no one has been able to explain whether the attacks
were "officially" ordered, or were carried out by individuals
acting on their own initiative.

Anyway, these attacks are very serious and need to be dealt
with promptly and properly.

Since its independence, East Timor has been facing very
serious economic problems. The prices of goods and staple foods
have been soaring while purchasing power has been declining. The
youth unemployment rate stands at 80 percent. The frustrations
felt by the pro-integration group have manifested themselves
through attacks on independence supporters. Economically, the
tiny country, with a population of only 700,000, is still very
weak.

However, it is impossible for the East Timorese people to turn
back the clock. They have made their choice - after 450 years of
being colonized by Portugal and twenty-four years of integration
with Indonesia - to become an independent nation.

The development and the future of the country depends on
accountability and cooperation between its government and
citizens.

The East Timor government and citizens should have been aware
that there are limits on the amount of foreign aid that will be
forthcoming.

-- Kompas, Jakarta

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ANPAk..r..
Otherop-DPR-Pilate
DPR must not act like Pilate
3

DPR must not act like Pilate

The recent demonstrations and protests against the increases
in fuel, electricity and telephone charges -- which have led to
knock-on increases in the prices of staple foods and other basic
commodities -- represent a very serious problem.

It is no wonder that many people are seeking the best solution
for dealing with this problem. People's Consultative Assembly
Speaker Amien Rais has also voiced his opinions in this regard.

He has supported the "Caucus to Rescue the Country", which has
been set up by a number of politicians from the House of
Representatives (DPR). He has also proposed that the government
meet with the House to review the recently announced government
policies.

The establishment of this Caucus reflects both House members'
desire for confrontation (with the government) and their efforts
to wash their hands of the problem, loading all the adverse
results of the controversial decisions made by the government and
approved by the House onto the shoulders of the government.

Amien's proposal for a meeting between the House and the
executive sounds rational and acceptable. To blame the Megawati
Soekarnoputri administration alone for the problem is not fair,
as the decision to increase fuel, electricity and telephone
charges was approved by the House before being made public. If
the decision is found to be legally defective, then the House
should also be held responsible for this.

The House should not pretend to have been surprised to hear
about the increases in the price of goods following the hike in
fuel, electricity and telephone charges.

-- Koran Tempo, Jakarta