Stop complaining about shortcomings: Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto said yesterday it was needless for the nation to complain about development shortcomings, much less let discontent grow so that people lost self control and became destructive.

Opening the 18th National Koran Reading Contest in Jambi last night, Soeharto said the nation should be grateful for the success and happiness it had received. It should also be strong and patient when facing scarcity and failure.

"Hasn't Allah promised in the Koran that He is with those who are patient," Soeharto said.

"We should never stop cherishing the successful development that we have been doing all this time which has brought us national pride," he said. "Therefore, let's start during the festivities of this Koran reading contest to give more back to our surroundings."

Soeharto urged Moslems to help their brothers still living in poverty, especially by sending their children to school.

"Our Prophet Muhammad reminded us that poverty can lead people to become infidels, while ignorance makes people unable to discern right from wrong," he said.

The government is spending Rp 12 billion (US$500 million) on the week-long contest which involves 1,257 delegations from all corners of Indonesia. About 5,000 people, including guests from neighboring countries, the Middle East and South Africa, attended the opening ceremony, Antara reported.

Jambi Governor Abdurrahman Sayoeti was quoted by the news agency as saying Tuesday that 40 percent of funding for the contest had been drawn from the last two provincial budgets.

Other funding had come from donations by businesspeople and the general public, and every participating province had contributed Rp 20 million, he said.

"So, staging the event wouldn't disturb the province's other development sectors," Sayoeti said.

The contest is being held about seven kilometers away from the province's capital Jambi. It will end July 15.

President Soeharto said, "If Moslems have been able to collectively raise that huge sum of money to stage this event, we should be able to raise a much bigger sum to help eradicate poverty and provide scholarships to poor children."

Soeharto said this might not be easy although it would succeed if it were carried out with strong will and sincerity. (aan)