People's fate

People's fate

From Merdeka

As a senior citizen, I was prompted to write this letter after reading reports in Merdeka regarding the IMF orienting (us) on liberalization, the arrest of members of the Democratic People Party in an apartment and a letter to the editor written by Michael De Rozari on social concern.

In fact, liberalization had its onset three decades ago, when Indonesia turned from "national and character building" to "economic building"; an undertaking now resulting in the monetary crisis, which has also begun to degenerate into "national multi-crises" now hitting our beloved state and people.

In 1957, the U.S.-based Institute of Fiscal and Political Education published a book entitled Democracy versus Communism with a view to reeducating the American people, making them critical and providing them with academically studied comparative materials.

In this way, the American people take pride in being the adherents of democracy and in their patterns of thoughts, methods and systems in the management of their state. They also do not fear communism, which also exists in the United States. This has reminded me of the teachings of our President about the "superiority" of Pancasila over other "isms". Of course, this is intended to make the Indonesian people have no fear of or be immune to other established "isms".

I have also been reminded of the teachings of martial arts teachers regarding the principle of martial arts: "If we wish to beat or be superior to our opponent, it is absolutely necessary for us to have a perfect knowledge of our opponent's principle and techniques."

A Western diplomat once told me at a reception something which I will never forget: "If there is anyone who knows all the dirty tricks of the West, your president Sukarno is the man."

I have never read a newspaper article on "social concern" regarding public transportation drivers to the effect that for the sake of feeding their families, these drivers have to sacrifice their happiness in life, which has been robbed of them by their partners, the owners of the vehicles they operate.

In Jakarta alone there are hundreds, if not hundreds of thousands of taxi drivers and other drivers of public transportation vehicles who operate taxis and other public transportation vehicles on an income-sharing basis. They usually start from home at 5 a.m. and do not return home until 11 p.m. or even midnight.

Just imagine their plight. They have to leave home when their wives and children are perhaps still asleep and they return home very late in a tired and weak condition. Most probably, their wives and children are already in bed when they get home. Unfortunately, they do not have representatives in the Jakarta administration to pay attention to their fate.

IPHONSUS P. LOLONG

Jakarta