Save Indonesia fund

Two recent letters that appeared in "Your Letters" prompted me to write this letter. The first was Donna K. Woodward's (The President's dedication, Dec. 23) sensitive suggestion that now might be the right moment for the President to withdraw from the stage that he has graced with distinction for 30 years. This is a long time for any man to bear the burden of State, and recent pictures show a tired, old man, who we know not to be in the best of health.

Ms. Woodward referred to the Nunc Dimitris. I would like to add the opening words uttered by the priest Simeon, when he asked God to release him from his duties: "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word". The same words could apply if the President were to pray to be relieved of the arduous duties he has carried out for so long.

The country's present financial crisis must weigh heavily upon him. But whether or not he decides to step down from his high office, there is something he could do now that would be a far greater contribution to the nation's welfare than anything he (or anyone else) has done before.

This is where I refer to Slamet Suraban's letter (How to overcome rupiah's weakness, Dec. 23). He speaks of "the weakness in the attitude of capitalists, whose nationalism is failing". I would prefer to speak of patriotism rather than nationalism, but the distinction is not too important. The letter refers to a number of groups who have contributed to the present unhealthy state of the rupiah: "... the company tycoons with conglomerate businesses, companies that speculate in currencies, legislators, bureaucrats, bank officials...".

I do not think anyone would argue with this. He then goes on to say: "we should create a movement for a national consciousness". Nobody would argue with that either, I imagine. But how can a "national consciousness" make a practical contribution to the rupiah's recovery?

I would like to suggest that the President could make his greatest contribution to his country by setting up a "Save Indonesia" fund, to which the Presidential family would be the first major contributors. How great their contribution could be is not for me to say.

The other mega-rich citizens (both personally or through their conglomerates) would be highly likely to contribute handsomely to the fund. They might all care to take a leaf out of the book of Ted Turner, the American multibillionaire, who recently said to himself "I have so much money, I don't know what to do with it. I can't take it with me when I die, so I'd better give some of it away!" Which he did -- US$1 billion to the United Nations, for humanitarian purposes.

In a certain sense, Indonesia's present grave situation could be compared to Britain's darkest hour in 1940, after the fall of France, when Britain stood alone against Hitler's power. One man, Winston Churchill, rallied the nation with his famous speeches, so that every able-bodied man and woman in the land dedicated himself or herself to saving their country. The result is well known, Hitler was defeated.

RB SAWREY-COOKSON

Jakarta