Letter to the President

Letter to the President

From Merdeka

I am only a mother and a housewife, but if you asked me, "What is the best thing that we can do for this angry nation?", I would reply:

1. Do not talk too much anymore, especially not in a threatening tone.

2. You must state that you will not resort to a security approach in handling each action. Your approach should take the form of a dialog, and for this purpose you should call prominent figures who clearly have legitimacy with the people: the four leaders who signed the Ciganjur Declaration, representatives of students and rectors and those who have openly questioned the authorities. They are not enemies, and what they want is certainly for the common good of this nation.

3. Stop looking for scapegoats for each problem. In fact, I am fed up with the many reminders and warnings which seem to be constructive but instead ignite enmity.

4. Start arranging the things that are possibly not in order in the cabinet you lead.

I hope that some day you will ask me the question, although it may be only in my dreams.

SILVANA RACHEL BAWENGAN

Jakarta