Narrow-minded grudges

A new term has recently been coined, namely "narrow-minded grudges". This term has never been clearly explained so that there is a tendency on the part of the community to interpret it as something unfavorable, when in fact it is not always so.

When members of a social group see injustice at work and later fight hard to eliminate it, this is not an example of narrow- minded grudges. A case in point is a Cabinet minister concurrently holding a number of other positions such as the president director of a state-owned enterprise, a member of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), an active lecturer at a state university and also a member of the National Commission on Human Rights. All the different salaries paid to this man come from taxpayers' money.

On the other hand, unfortunately, many secondary school leavers and university graduates cannot find employment because they are considered inexperienced. Engineers have become unemployed and medical doctors have decided to take up non- medical jobs because they cannot get licenses for private medical consultations. In the meantime, senior doctors, who are also senior citizens, can easily get these licenses.

Therefore, it is only natural that grudges eventually form among the community along with a suspicion that corrupt, collusive and nepotistic practices have their say in this respect. The result is that the people do not take pride in some individuals concurrently assuming a number of positions as referred to earlier; they hate these practices to death.

That's why some cynical remarks have of late been heard, such as "looters" wearing a tie or cloaked and ever-greedy "looters" who have robbed the young generation of job opportunities under the pretext that only they (the "looters") are suitable for and capable of assuming these positions for ever and ever.

In fact, history shows that the collapse of Sukarno led to the emergence of other Sukarnos, who proved to be able to lead this country. Likewise, the downfall of Soeharto will certainly lead to the emergence of new Soehartos, who feel that they fit the bill as heirs to his "throne".

The world is really a stage and political clowns may be merry- making on it for the time being.

H. IFRAD SUKAMTO

Jakarta