No absolute goodness

No absolute goodness

I always remember the people of our country to be warm and
wonderful. Once, far from home, as evening neared, I became
worried as nowhere in the village was there a country inn.
Fortunately, a peasant gladly took us -- my wife, two little kids
and me -- into his home for the night and even shared his food.
It was dark in the room, we had only one bed for the whole
family, and had to go to the bank of a rushing river in the night
-- there was no toilet -- and yet we all felt fine. It was an
adventure and we really were very grateful.

Another time I dropped by to watch a very old toothless farmer
work in his field, when a young woman, perhaps his granddaughter,
brought him food. "Just come and sit down, have a chat and let's
share this food together," he invited me. And I imagine how good
it must be, to have one's food almost every day served as though
on a picnic. Or what about being surprised with a bunch, like
flowers, of fresh, red rambutan by two young girls when I was
tired and thirsty after running in the country? That was
certainly the most refreshing of the most refreshing drinks.

I don't believe Japanese, European, American people to be
better than we are. Who can pride himself on being without fault?

I remember arriving too late at the office and going home
early, or chatting or reading a newspaper instead of doing my
work. Who has never felt the obligation to satisfy someone's
request, to repay a debt of moral goodness, as Indonesians say?
If by chance we receive a gift of bananas, we certainly won't
forget to return some oranges or a pineapple. And who has never
treated his children first, before others? What is wrong with
this? A mother hen would rather forgo her food for her chickens.
It's natural to think of our children before our relatives, our
close friends, community and the nation.

I even can't trust myself to resist the offer of those luring,
luscious forbidden fruits. Why search so ardently for someone who
is without a moral stain? This is merely for those who believe
themselves to be above a fault to prove their own superiority.

When we have a bad system and flawed rules, people are prone
to bribery, collusion and nepotism. Rather than force moral
education upon people and watch over their secret unlawful deals,
it would be better to devise better methods, a better system, to
avoid the corruption. For example, suppose payments could be
arranged through bank accounts, perhaps there would be fewer
occasions for bribery. If the president is limited to a short
period in office, he would have less opportunity to abuse his
power and authority.

In a system with a free exchange rate, possession of foreign
currency does not make a person an outlaws, but in a rigidly
controlled system, foreign money savings are forbidden. Anyone
who keeps hold of his foreign exchange is seen as a criminal and
a scoundrel. This system is fertile soil for bribery and open to
a black market in foreign exchange.

I remember Sir Talfourd's saying: "Fill the seats of justice
with good men, not so absolute in goodness as to forget what
human frailty is." Man is certainly not a divine being, nor is he
a superman when he fails or falls to some temptation or forbidden
fruit, except perhaps if he is made of air, wood or stone.

CHEW G.H.

Jakarta