New Order mentality still prevails

Being a foreigner and looking at the situation in Indonesia now, I wonder if saying something on the situation could be taken as "meddling with the internal affairs of a sovereign nation". After all, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, at the time, found it not appropriate when other nations objected to the killings and destruction in East Timor. This, even when the people got the choice from the then president Habibie who knew only 20 percent voted for the Functional Group (Golkar) and, in fact, he had no right to give them this referendum. This, even when Western countries are expected to pay the bill of restoring East Timor.

So what can I expect as an investor in this country who, as an individual, put the majority of his savings in a project in Indonesia? I did so last year because things looked good at that time. However, a year later I can only conclude that the "New Order" is firmly rooted in the minds of the haves and the "civil servants".

This last category is still mainly serving itself and, except that investment procedures are processed quicker, there is hardly any real "reform". Who can blame my family in the Netherlands if thy want me to withdraw from Indonesia? The House of Representatives, still filled with a lot of New Order nominees, acts like children on its first days without Soeharto, and is now playing more "holy than the Pope". Why instead is capital punishment not yet introduced for corruptors? May legislators have "butter on their heads"? Why is the police still armed?. If not, they would not dare to continue to extort money as the people already have adopted their justice system, effectively killing thieves on the spot.

Why are the police able to find practically every activist and critic of the New Order and harass, even kill them and yet they cannot find Tommy (Suharto)? Why has Golkar not returned its wealth to the other parties? The actions of the people at present have nothing to do with communism as Mr. Akbar Tandjung has stated in The Jakarta Post of Feb. 9, 2001.

And now the presidency: how happy I was with the prevailing spirit one year ago and many people with me. But now we see precious time wasted on "hanky-panky" deals that are not clearly explained and a rational and intelligent minister with integrity sent away because of his "lack of personal support of the president". His support of the presidency as an institution is not appreciated. Does this not bring back Indonesia to the status of "banana republic"?

If anyone who can teach me a lesson, please come forward (words only please). My wish is to see a prosperous Indonesia with happy people who can constantly improve their lives, mentally as well as physically, and have self-respect. And that the country is not used as a dump for waste by virtually everybody.

Why cannot it be like Malaysia, which used to be backward compared with Indonesia? It shows what a little less corruption and a little bit better mentality by its officials can have on the lives of many. Maybe local autonomy may create more "Singapores" in the region?

BOUDEWIJN BRANDS

Amsterdam