Room for improvement

My reaction, as an expat, to recent letters written mostly by foreigners could be one of subjective embarrassment. I have no wish to join in with the vitriolic exchanges, but I do at times wonder what benefit Indonesia derives from the presence of such as Sawrey-Cookson, with his numerous complaints and trivial, self-indulgences with old school ties. He sounds like a cross between Colonel Blimp and Queen Victoria. His remark that one correspondent should see a psychiatrist demonstrates the height of colonial-type cultural arrogance. Fortunately there are some English people here who, in their own small way, try to emulate the standards of Sir Stamford Raffles. Apart from his possible motive of wanting the Dutch out of Indonesia, he surely displayed a full measure of cultural understanding in his contribution to independence.

So I write in constructive vein, and offer a few suggestions which my fellow expats may wish to support.

I believe that an Indonesian-English Society exists: through such a channel cooperative help could be offered on such subjects as Education (particularly Sumber Daya Manusia or Human Resources); Road Safety Precautions; Business/Marketing Management for medium/small business/cooperatives; Antidotes for the Fastfood/Soft drinks invasion; a renewed campaign for Dua Anak Cukup (two children are enough); Overdevelopment of Shopping/Hotel/Golf-course complexes and Immigration Regulations/Permits to stay/work.

No lesser person than the American President recently admitted to the 'onslaught of the American Cultural Juggernaut,' which, at times, I believe constitutes little short of cultural pollution. (Some right-thinking Americans might also wish to discuss the attempt to impose conditions concerning Labor Relations, surely better left to ILO, in connection to trade privileges). And what price the Economic Juggernaut?

On the subject of education, a specific point of interest and concern for me is English language -- and I would state right away that I fully support all activities which strive to preserve (and progress) all mother tongues. So I agree with the recent move to retain Indonesian titles/names/billboards. Nevertheless, I suppose we have to accept that, for reasons such as the rapid spread of I.T., English as a global second language is a fait accompli.

A final point. I feel that the subject of the President's succession should not be bandied about by the media, to the point where it becomes "over heated". He is held in high esteem internationally for his long, hard and devoted effort over more than a quarter of a century.

It was once said, albeit in a romanticist sense (probably by a Hollywood movie mogul) that "Love makes the world go round." But we, none of us need convincing that it is not bickering in newspaper columns, but love of God, his bountiful gifts of our natural environment and our fellow men which truly smooth the progress of peaceful coexistence.

J. WARD

Klaten, Central Java