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

;; 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

;; 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