Sick society

Sick society

From Merdeka

I read in the Jan. 10 edition of Merdeka that according to Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo, society and officials are "sick". I think there is some truth in Siswono's statement. It was not an overly dramatic assessment as referred to by Adi Sasono (Merdeka, Jan. 11).

It is a fact that many of today's officials frequently get headaches and suffer from stress. Some ministers are burdened by the thought of whether they will be chosen again for the 1998- 2003 term. Legislators are no exception; they too are obsessed with what will happen to them when their terms are over.

According to Mrs. Kaurentia van Hoff Pasaribu's prognosis for 1997 (referred to as the year of the ox), three top officials are expected to die from chronic illnesses. Some officials might die due to stress resulting from their greed.

As far as I am concerned, Indonesian society is indeed sick and many of its citizens remain unable to lead a decent life despite a strengthening economy.

H.G. MALIKMASS

Jakarta