Official globe-trotting

Official globe-trotting

Thank heavens the media was able to publicize and prevent, at
least temporarily, the planned overseas junket of ninety members
of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) for the ostensible
purpose of presenting their programs to approximately two million
Indonesians residing overseas.

The MPR members are the ones whose attendance at scheduled
sessions for official business was so low; whose chairs were
often empty even during the televised sessions of the Annual
Session in August. Have the members not heard of newspapers and
newsletters or the Internet or interactive e-meetings as
economical ways of communicating across distances? Have they
thought of using our Embassies and consulates to disseminate
information to overseas citizens?

This plan (to travel around the world) is unnecessary and
patently unjustifiable in this time of economic crisis. Is their
real purpose to hide funds in overseas accounts ahead of their
required declaration of assets, or simply to have a nice holiday?

The President has set an unfortunate precedent for excessive
travel at government expense as an alternative to dealing with
domestic problems. He and the MPR members who are all too happy
to follow his lead need to have their wings clipped until they
succeed in their domestic mission.

DONNA K. WOODWARD

Medan, North Sumatra