No more lavish receptions

No more lavish receptions

President Soeharto has once again reminded all of us,
particularly our provincial authorities, that there is no need to
be excessive or extravagant when receiving visiting dignitaries.
By not indulging in such excesses the misuse of funds, meant for
the improvement of the public welfare, can be avoided.

This mentality of offering excessive courtesies to officials
must be corrected, as President Soeharto said, because our
development efforts are not designed to please officials but to
serve the people in general.

Visiting officials whose status are higher than that of those
they are visiting should act as role models and not merely as
furnishers of facilities. Therefore, when receiving visiting
dignitaries and their entourages, there is no need for local
officials and the local people to be extravagant in serving
refreshments and presenting local dances to their guests and in
presenting them with gifts.

Furthermore, those visiting dignitaries are traveling on
expense accounts and do not need to burden the local authorities
and people.

-- Suara Pembaruan, Jakarta