Public disappointment

Public disappointment

From Gamma

The multi-faceted crisis, which has hit all Indonesians, has
not weakened but become stronger as the days wear on. Various
kinds of tricks and strategies, which some administrative experts
have studied and applied, have failed to expel the giant crisis
from this country. People really expected the government to
manage the country well, honestly and based on regulations that
benefit all. Yet, it has just been an empty promise. Public
officials from both the central and regional government, have
been unable and do not want to realize the public's aspirations.

Their intelligence cannot better the country's situation. They
have taken action that has left a deep wound among the nation's
children. Corruption has become widespread. Frenzied regulations
waffle on. Prices have been soaring and people gasp when
following them. All these difficulties have become more complex
as they have occurred alongside the presence of morally-degraded
officials who have operated hand-in-hand with public money
robbing entrepreneurs. The supremacy of the law is just a
lullaby. The law only works for those with fat pockets. The
natural resources have been arbitrarily exploited. Oil, copper,
gold and silver have been sucked dry. Forests are cleared away.
Some islands are sold and the results line the corruptors'
pockets.

The public are all too aware of these disgraceful deeds but,
bringing the country's money robbers to court is very difficult
to carry out. Judges, prosecutors, lawyers and the police all
remain easily bribed.

SRI ROMDHONI W. KUNCORO

Surakarta, Central Java