Retirement age

Retirement age

An interesting question was raised during a seminar held by
the SMART Center for Resource Development on preparation for
pension age through life fulfillment. This was put forward by
former chief of the National Police Gen. (ret.) Awaluddin Djamin.
He told the seminar that the government should review and extend
the official retirement age for civil servants and military
officers.

Awaluddin further said that it is the government's own loss,
if it forces high-ranking military officers to retire at the age
of 55, when they are at the peak of wisdom and have experience
which could never be learned in schools. The years that the
government has invested in the officers, he added, are
consequently wasted. Awaluddin refuses the traditional excuse
that later retirement age means fewer positions left for members
of the younger generation.

We must admit, maybe partly, that what the general said is
true, but it is to be regretted that he failed to give evidence
or further explanations that later retirement does not affect new
employment for the younger generation; he did not elaborate. It
might be true that now there is an increase in life expectancy
among Indonesians, but is it justified to extend the retirement
age at the cost of the young generation? Moreover it is not
always true that the current retirement age means a loss for the
government. It can be to the contrary, because there are also
unproductive and productive officers and civil servants. The
later the retirement for unproductive persons, the bigger the
loss for the government.

We all know that there are many unproductive individuals who
never performed well, let alone reached their peak of wisdom. The
opportunity should be given to the younger generation to start
working and replace the older ones so that they can gain working
experience as soon as possible.

The idea as proposed by Awaluddin may be carried out by
exception only. Those persons with proven ability could be
allowed to retire at a later age. However, the government may
enhance the general welfare of the pensioners by providing better
health care and other social benefits. Also the government can
create more social or semi-social institutions or bodies, where
pensioners can be kept employed. So hopefully they will not
become a burden to society.

To avoid the "post-power syndrome", according to speakers
Junus and Hanna, one should be getting closer to God, and accept
what life has to offer.

A. HARYONO

Jakarta

A missing alum

In 1953-1954, an Indonesian student enrolled in the College
d'Europe, Brugges, Belgium. His name was Ahmad Mugalih. After
graduation, many of his friends lost track of him.

Last week a French friend of mine wrote me that the 1953
promotion was planning to hold a 40th anniversary meeting, and he
asked me to find Ahmad Mugalih's address--or any information
about him.

I would appreciate it very much if any reader of The Jakarta
Post can help me in this matter. I can be contacted through Tempo
newsmagazine, Kotak Pos 4223/JKT 10042, Jakarta, or Phone:
5200177.

GOENAWAN MOHAMAD

Jakarta

Good manners

Millions know

I'm the teen

Caned for vandalism.

Household name now

All around the world!

Ever dreamed I'd become

Lavishly infamous?!

For all you parents

At least are you listening now?

Yes, groom your kids with noble manners!

A. KRISHNAN

Surabaya, East Java

Beware of electrical
products

Recently, I had the need to purchase some electrical extension
cables with multi-socket outlets as used by million of people for
to connect several electrical appliances and tools to one wall
socket outlet.

I bought three identical sets of what appeared to be of good
quality and proper design, i.e. the plug was molded to the cable
and consisted of the two pins together with the protective earth
(PE) contacts. The multi-socket outlet unit at the other end of
the cable had the familiar female contacts together with the PE
contacts for each socket. An additional switch incorporated in
the unit enables the electrical isolation of any consumer
connected to it.

What appeared to be a perfectly sound, safe and well-
manufactured product to any person and unsuspicious layman,
actually turned out to be totally unsafe and a potential killer
to anybody who would use it for the purpose it was made for,
because the cable connecting plug and socket unit consisted of
two conductors only, i.e. the PE contacts at each end of the
extension cable were not connected at all.

Anybody using an extension like this is liable to suffer
electric shocks, burns, etc., and in the extreme will lose their
lives in case of faulty appliances and tools connected to it.

The public is totally unaware of this deadly shortcoming in a
product which is sold by reputable shops or stores all over the
country.

I strongly advise your readers and anybody else for this
matter to be aware of these unsafe products available in the
market and possibly in their homes.

Anybody using electrical extension cables should have the same
checked immediately by a reliable electrician or electrical
engineer whether or not these devices are electrically safe. The
check is simple and takes one minute only.

Being an electrical engineer (consultant) involved in the
expansion of electrical power within the Republic of Indonesia, I
would recommend to the authorities concerned to subject
electrical products sold in this country to much stricter
controls to protect and ensure the well-being of all the people
living within the boundary of the great nation.

WALTER SCHAEFER

Jakarta

RI needs law on
anti-discrimination

From Forum Keadilan

Discrimination in its various forms has existed all over the
world for centuries, thus the need to enact anti-discrimination
laws.

The Australian state of New South Wales has had one in the
books since 1977 for example. The law forbids discrimination
based on gender, race, religion and financial status.

One good example of the fight against discrimination is South
Africa. Although it is hard to remove racial tension in this
country, the people of South Africa did away with apartheid. Now
the constitution guarantees all citizens the right to live side
by side.

In the recent Medan riot, people of Chinese descent have again
become a target. This only extends the list of anti-Chinese
incidents in the history of Indonesia.

It is obvious that the racial sentiment has blurred the
workers' demand: wage increases and welfare improvements. Instead
of fulfilling the workers' dream for a better life, such a
display created a new tragedy. In the end they were no longer
workers demanding their rights, but reduced themselves to
rioters.

From such a case we learn that the real goal of the strike was
not achieved and both the Chinese descendants and workers have
become victims.

Although the existence of a discrimination law is not a
guarantee of total protection, it is time for us to consider
drafting a discrimination law.

PURWANING W. YANUAR

Sydney, Australia

Parking at
Soekarno-Hatta

From Editor

As a driver, I often drive and pick up my boss at Soekarno-
Hatta international airport. Being a very disciplined government
official, he never allows me to park the car in front of the
domestic terminal. So I must park in the parking area.

I have never disobeyed his order, but what annoys me is that
there are always many cars parked right in front of the domestic
flight gate. Sometimes pedestrians have difficulty crossing the
street on their way to the parking area because the cars are
parked in three lanes and are too close to each other.

This should not happen because the area is ringed by uniformed
guards armed with walky-talkies and batons. The problem is that
these timid guards lack the courage to discipline the rogue
motorists.

IMAN Z. NOURUZZAMAN

Jakarta