Letter writers are agents of change

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