Save Indonesia fund

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