Little errors mean a lot

A player does not `resign' from a match, which has been used in The Jakarta Post in several articles on both tennis and more recently the Thomas and Uber Cups. He or she retires, defaults, withdraws, pulls out, etc., but never resigns (except in chess). It may be correct in the dictionary to use resign but it is not in common sports usage.

Just for the record, in the very poorly written caption showing the Indonesian Uber Cup team members are taking a ride on an escalator (May 17, 1994), the women are obviously going down the escalator, not up as the title caption states.

These little errors, like the use of which instead of who in so many articles ("the murderer which..." etc.), the repetition of numbers and names in articles (one classic: "the 24 East Timorese visiting family members in the province," followed by a paragraph beginning with "the 24 arrived in Indonesia...") or paragraphs which run on and on without separation in your film and arts articles, are very irritating.

FRANSISCA NOVELINA

Jakarta

Crime pays

Must we go on reading about the caning of Michael Fay? Once again the press has picked a story and driven it into the ground.

The American teenager is a confessed criminal who received his due reward, minus two strokes. I'm sure in the years to come, after all the talk shows and the money made from a book and TV deal, Michael will have learned his lesson, the American way: Crime does pay!

JOHN HAVILL

Jakarta

The causes of violence and labor crisis

From Editor

Juvenile delinquency, violence, and crime have reached alarming levels recently. Labor strikes and student demonstrations are also on the rise.

With regards to the problems mentioned above, on behalf of the Human Resources Development and Training Center (P3SDM), we will offer some opinions: 1. The government should find out the underlying causes of the problems. It is important for the leaders to understand that our society has been engaged in the process of development and industrialization, which has various impacts on the people. 2. Operation Cleansing is a good program for getting criminals off the streets. However, to be fair, there should be a similar operation to rid the government of criminals as well. 3. It is pity that violence and brutality have tarnished the purity of the demands of labor; i.e. to get their lawful minimum wages. 4. Labor strikes frequently occur because the businessmen have refused or delayed wage increases. The superiors also violated the rights of labor. 5. The government, labor organizations, Non-Government Organizations and the people should open dialogs to find solutions to these problems.

A.M. FATWA & A. BAHAR MU'ID

P3SDM, Jakarta

Demonstrations and the causes

From DeTIK

It is easy for the government to curb student and labor demonstrations.

Instead of banning these activities, the government should ask itself why people have to take to the streets to express their aspirations.

Demonstrations have occurred everywhere in this country because dialog forums that they can trust no longer exist. Trying to hold a dialog with members of the House of Representatives is useless because they are not concerned about the problems of the poor people, laborers or students. It is also understandable that they refuse to go to the police for the corps hardly stands for the poor people, laborers and students.

It is important for the government to remember that the Indonesian people are far from rebellious, provocative and brutal. So if they do become brutal, there must be something wrong with our society.

Here are some causes of demonstrations: Corruption at virtually all levels of bureaucracy, collusion between officials and businessmen, neo-feudalism and injustice.

In short, if the government wants to prevent the people from holding demonstrations, it should rid itself of corrupt and dirty officials in all sectors.

M.D. WIRYA S. PRANATA

Medan, N. Sumatra

Corruptors and the death penalty

From Tempo

Corruptors are like parasites that destroy the country's economy, especially if they steal people's money in gigantic amounts. This means that it kills millions of people in the country.

In Indonesia, most corruptors are top officials who collude with businessmen, seem to live high on the hog because they remain free although they have stolen large amounts of the people's money.

They are no better than bandits because they act this way while the nation is fighting against poverty.

If only 50 percent of the stolen money were used properly, perhaps thousands of unemployed university graduates would have a place to work and millions of poor villagers could be freed from poverty.

I also believe that if there is no 'leakage', we would not need to borrow money from other countries to develop our country, and Indonesia would probably become a rich country much faster than has been planned.

So it is obvious that corruption makes this country and its people poorer and poorer.

It is high time that the government enforce the death penalty for corruptors because I think that such a punishment is the only way to make them pay for their errors.

I don't believe in the government's statement that such punishment is not in line with the values of Pancasila and humanity, because for many years the government has been practicing the so-called petrus, on the spot shootings, for criminals whose crimes cannot be forgiven.

Poet Feurbach said that punishment should discourage people from committing further crimes.

ERWIN

Deli Serdang, N. Sumatra

New organization?

From Media Indonesia

The creation of the Association of Indonesian Nationalist Intellectuals (ICKI) has been controversial, because the people question the purpose of the association.

My question is: Do we need another organization?

In our society, there are many organizations which represent different professional fields, religions and even genders, such as the associations of businessmen and businesswomen, architects, lawyers, engineers, doctors, athletes, youngsters and so on. And to accommodate the people's political aspirations, three political parties are available to choose from.

Indeed, we are free to establish an association, but it is important to seriously consider the purpose and the function of the association in society.

Furthermore, necessary funding is an issue. The board of an association, especially one affiliated with the government, usually asks businessmen to donate money.

The businessmen will be busy raising enough funds, which will have serious impacts on the people.

SUGIH ARTO

Jakarta