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