Regional news in Australia

The Australian media remains focused on disturbances in Indonesia, Fiji, the Solomons and the Korean summit.

On June 21, the latest flare up in Halmahera was broadcast by the BBC. There were 100 more deaths reported in the latest outbreak.

But the reunification efforts made by North and South Korea have surely stolen the show. Australia can only benefit commercially from a united North and South Korea. As will countries like Japan and India, not to mention the USA which is looking after the security of the region as a whole including keeping the peace between China and Taiwan, and to a certain extent between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

There indeed was some information in my last letter to The Jakarta Post in which I reported that kangaroos lay eggs instead of deliver their young. It is a fact, though, that the newborn creatures crawl into their mothers' pouch and stay there until they can hop and get breast fed. Kangaroos are growing too fast in number and many are eliminated. So to know more about this species and whether they lay eggs please contact the Australian Information Service, and forgive me for my inaccuracies. I am in Australia for a medical checkup.

From what can be judged from Australia, the roles of students and the media in Indonesia will remain crucial in determining the fate of the Cabinet. They must now determine whether President Abdurrahman Wahid's latest overseas trip has been a success in economic investment terms.

The impression remains that since his ascent to the presidency, Abdurrahman has failed to gauge the order of national priorities correctly.

Indonesians I spoke to here questioned the wisdom of asking the USA government to help Indonesia eradicate corruption and white-collar crime activities, while the National Police allow the wizard thief of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to walk around free and undetected for so long.

The question on everybody's lips here now is whether and when Abdurrahman plans to travel to Australia and meet his counterpart.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Perth, Australia