Prevention of national waste
Prevention of national waste
From Panji Masyarakat
The heading of this letter is not meant to incite anger or bitterness, nor is it politically motivated. It may be categorized as a form of participation in selecting the best and wisest prospective assistants to the President, or to open opportunities for achievements toward the end of the current term of presidential office.
The habit of waiting until a problem escalates to disastrous proportions must be stopped immediately. Especially for problems that can be predicted, monitored, analyzed, evaluated, etc. due to periodical occurrences. Forest fires, accidents, floods, bank scams, gambling, prostitution, alcoholism, corruption, collusion and Indonesian labor abroad belong in this category.
Less than two months from now society will be burdened once again with the approach of New Year's and Idul Fitri celebrations. Prices will rise, inflation will become uncontrollable, crime will increase and national productivity will drop one week before and one week after Idul Fitri. It is waste on a national scale.
Related ministries, and parts of the private sector, are now preparing themselves for events brought on by New Year's and Idul Fitri festivities. Operations in the market to control prices and stocks of foodstuffs, operations at critical departure points like bus and train stations, sea and airports to ensure smooth transportation, monitoring of monetary matters for control of inflation.
If the repeated occurrences were seriously studied, the causes could certainly be discussed with experts. I strongly believe that although time is short, the problems could be overcome soonest by campaigning on a national scale by bringing together ulemas and umara (government officials). They could bring awareness that good relations are the main pillar of success and fasting makes the faithful more devout.
So, good relations are an ideal that should be recommended for every occasion, without waiting for Idul Fitri, the disadvantages of which are more numerous than the benefits.
Devout people are those who have such foresight that are prepared the hereafter, not like mere entrepreneurs or planners whose vision only covers one or two five-year development periods. The devout are also acutely aware of the balance of the environment, therefore their zakat, infak (alms and charity) are right. Let us be aware that even though all our planning may be complete, we must not fail to ask for God's blessings.
Thus, the initiative of responsible parties would be eagerly awaited by society and the nation. Thus not only authority, but power, rights and policies would be conspicuous. There should be a dominance of obligation and responsibility.
AGUS SOETONO
Jakarta