Ramadhan and its paradoxes

Ramadhan and its paradoxes

From Koran Tempo

It is the Muslim's fasting month now. We must welcome this auspicious month with gratitude to God for in this month we are made aware of the existence of people who are too poor to have a decent meal.

Unfortunately, like in other years, places where sexually immoral practices are conducted, are violently destroyed. Then, the fasting month this year will also see a great number of migrant beggars in the cities.

In a fasting month, the fasting people eat and drink less. But we must spend more money because the prices of daily necessities have risen. When they break their fast, some people seem to gratify to their heart's content the hunger they feel during the fasting hours.

When people fast, they refrain from eating and drinking. The purpose is to be aware of the existence of starving people. Unfortunately, some people refrain from eating and drinking in the real sense of the words but they have "eaten" the people's money through corruption, manipulation of teachers' pay and embezzlement and other such practices.

ARIEF KUSNO, Jakarta