Regional news in Australia
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