Letter writers are agents of change

I was happy to note that Gandhi Sukardi won a coveted honor from the Indonesian Museum of Records for the amount of his letters to The Jakarta Post. My hearty congratulations to him.

Perhaps Gandhi's parents wanted him to be an idealist -- so they named him "Gandhi". His idealism is often reflected in his letters. His writings show his sincere concern for happenings in Indonesia and elsewhere. His sense of purpose, clarity of thoughts and apt choice of words -- all these are truly admirable. The range of subjects that he has dealt with is equally astounding.

It was a great surprise to know that Laksamana Sukardi is a son of Gandhi -- an illustrious family indeed. I can't say who should be proud of whom!

Letter writing is a productive hobby. The foundation for writing is, undoubtedly, a passion for reading. Please, parents, create an environment at home for children to pick up the reading habit. It is possible only if parents themselves spend some time every day reading at home.

Writers are also keen observers. They would find it rather difficult to bottle up their opinions, especially when they feel they have something to contribute to society. I'm sure the public appreciates their well-thought out comments.

Is letter writing effective? I think so, otherwise renowned newspapers and magazines wouldn't provide space for readers to express their views. It's a "win-win" game for all concerned -- the writers, readers and the publications.

Many readers of the Post tell me that the letters page is one of their favorites. In fact, they first look at the name of the writer and only then proceed to read the contents. It appears that the Post's editorial policy of allowing a free flow of opinions has made this column popular and well-read. The suppliers of goods and services also seriously take up the consumers' grievances expressed through the Post; and their responses are usually swift.

I can recall the names of many letter writers who, over the years, made this column rewarding and entertaining. Chris Ashton for one, who used to send in letters incessantly, from wherever he was on the earth. Many wondered if he really existed. Was someone in the Post ghostwriting, just to boost circulation? The reason was that most of his letters were provocative and/or controversial.

Then, there was Farid Baskoro, a learned writer who used to write with a nationalistic fervor; Masli Arman, who I had the privilege of meeting some years ago; Sawrey-Cookson, the upright Briton; G.S. Edwin, whose colonial English was often hard to fathom; Buhari Abdu, the "goodwill" ambassador of Africa; Italian Piero Ronci, the soccer specialist; Osvaldo Coelho of Bandung; A Djuana, who fluently shares his life's experiences with us; Soegih Arto; Aloysius Haryono; and, of course, brave Donna of Medan -- and, finally, myself, having penned 120 letters to the Post to date. I might have left out a few other writers, but it was not intentional.

Letter writers, as agents of change, have a definite role to play in the society. So, Good Luck, Sukardi; and do keep writing.

D. CHANDRAMOULI

Jakarta