My letter misunderstood

My letter misunderstood

Having developed a thick skin, I was much amused by Mr Gary Gentry's tirade about my so-called letter of complaint to PT Telkom. Maybe he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or his glasses were dirty. I was never lamenting, just commenting, but maybe my English is so bad that no Briton could understand it.

Where did I complain to Telkom? I just wrote the opposite: "Any difficulties I encountered with PLN and Telkom were solved by direct contact. I find it more helpful than writing letters." All the people I meet are very nice and helpful. It is not my style to bring shame to people.

I was referring to other readers, who, weeks or months ago, voiced complaints about their phones and electricity bills. Had I had the time to write to the Post at that time, I would have advised them to go and see the people involved, not accuse them of foolishness.

My only "complaint" was a question to TVRI and it went to the Post because I live in Medan and could not get TVRI's address. In fact, my fax to the editor bore the following PS: "I leave it to you to publish this letter or transmit it to TVRI. I normally complain directly to the people concerned, but I do not have TVRI's address."

Now that The Jakarta Post has kindly given me the address, I have written directly and hope to hear from them.

Finally, please accuse me of dumbness, but I don't see what the number of readers and the editorial of April 25 (which I read three days after sending my letter since The Jakarta Post didn't fax me an advance copy) have to do with the matter, as if there were 36,000 letters of complaint everyday! The most I can see is one, sometimes two and "Your Letters" takes only a quarter of a page. There is thus no reason the organization concerned should not answer if it wants to improve its image, provided it reads the newspaper. After all, when somebody complains about lost luggage on one of its flight, Garuda has the courtesy to explain.

I'm sorry, Mr Gentry, I persist with my foolishness: why would people waste their time writing letters of complaint if they do not expect some response?

ALEX WOLVESPERGES

Medan, North Sumatra