Should we be that critical?

Mr. Robert Walker really is an unhappy man ("Your Letters," Oct. 28, Some facts of life). I must admit that I have no knowledge of conditions in Bali. I only live and work with ordinary Indonesians in the back streets of Jakarta, with occasional forays to the outer Maluku Islands and Irian Jaya villages.

After reading Mr. Walker's last letter I am very thankful that I rarely meet other expatriates, or maybe they are not all as embittered as him? I certainly hope so. Of course there are problems in an emergent nation -- and Indonesia is still only 50 years old. Just compare it with most of Africa's former colonies, or the Indian sub-continent.

Whether one likes the regime here or not there can be little doubt that it has done quite a good job -- and continues to do so. The rich always get richer everywhere, but at least in Indonesia they ensure that most of their efforts are directed at improvements for the ordinary people. Benefits for the poor are slow in trickling through to them, but they are getting there. In the time I have known Indonesia, and particularly the remote parts, I have seen many, many improvements.

As for family values one only has to look, (and I can assure you there is nothing wrong with my eyesight), and see the care of the sick and elderly at home, the love that is given to all the children by everyone, and the sense of community responsibility felt by all ordinary Indonesians.

It is a different culture and it should not be judged by Western standards. Many of its problems are caused by us, the expatriates, who all too easily display our comparative wealth. There is no real answer to this problem but I do not think we should exacerbate it by being overly critical of our host nation.

I certainly do not intend to continue this correspondence as I suspect it might be causing hurt to ordinary people.

W.J. STARR

Jakarta