Paul Keating

Paul Keating

I am an Indonesian housewife, and am much interested in what's
going on in the world. I followed the Australian election on ABC
television station at home. I felt a great loss when I learned
that Paul Keating lost the election. I have great admiration and
respect for him. I think he was a great leader with a great
personality. He was brave, realistic and practical. He had the
courage to swim against the current. He knew that the majority of
the Australian people were proud of their origins, yet he kept on
telling his countrymen to turn towards Asia.

Was he foolishly obsessed with Asia? Not at all. The truth is
he was being realistic, practical and smart. He had a great
vision. He wanted his countrymen to wake up from daydreams of the
glorious past, and be sensitive to today's facts. He wanted to
open the eyes of all Australians and broaden their minds to
accept that, whether they wanted it or not, Australia is
geographically in Asian environments. Asia has great potential
for Australia. That was important to Paul Keating.

With the biggest population and the fastest economic growth in
the world, Asia is the biggest market and could bring money to
Australia. Paul Keating was on the right path to rebuilding
Australia's economy, which has weakened over the last few
decades. It is a pity that the Australian people did not have
enough patience to wait for the products of his work. It was
certainly not an overnight job. I feel sorry that the Australian
people could not realize that Paul Keating was a treasure for the
country.

He is a man with great leadership and a progressive view. He
would have done a lot for Australia's economy and politics in the
future if only his countrymen gave him more time.

JENNY LAURITZ KHOENG

Jakarta