On fasting
On fasting
From Media Indonesia
The appeal of President B.J. Habibie that, in order to save
rice, the people should fast on Mondays and Thursdays, is causing
deep concern.
Actually this appeal would be better directed at government
officials -- ministers, governors, mayors, regents, district and
subdistrict chiefs and their families, and not to the vast
majority of the people. And the rice saved could be distributed
to needy people.
Please, have mercy on the people, Mr. President! They are
really poor. They were not waiting for your appeal, because they
were already fasting. They might even fast more than twice a
week. In fact, they cannot afford staple foods with their meager
incomes, not to mention the newly retrenched.
I believe you are too busy to read newspaper reports to the
effect that many of our people have been starving and have not
been able to afford to buy rice, let alone accompanying dishes.
And so they have to do with tiwul (dried cassava mixed with
bran). Have these people to fast also?
Now, imagine, how much does a regent earn a month? Could it be
hundreds of millions of rupiah, so that a government official
like the regent of Bantul, Central Java, would be able to
contribute Rp 1 billion to the Dharmais Foundation? How much does
a governor earn; enough to make it possible for the Central Java
governor to provide 100 Timor cars to members of the provincial
legislature on credit? The charge that the funds used were from
his own pocket was later denied. Instead it was reported that the
money was left over from the provincial budget.
Reform activities should apply to such officials, and the
government should investigate the source of their wealth. In view
of the present crisis, I would like to suggest as follows:
* At least for a short-term measure, the government should
continue to deduct 50 percent of the monthly salaries of the
President, ministers, governors, mayors, regents, district and
subdistrict chiefs. The money collected could be used to help the
poor.
* Declare as haram (forbidden by Islam) all activities related to
corruption, collusion and nepotism and also the siphoning of the
nation's wealth.
* Audit officials' wealth.
I sincerely hope that the President takes wise steps in the
name of justice.
HERIE BUDIONO
Jakarta