Thu, 24 Feb 2000

Stop toll profits to the Soehartos

I think congratulations are in order to the Indonesian Volleyball Federation. They have, at last, thrown off the fear of the monster Soeharto, and have rejected his eldest daughter as chairwoman. Her successor says that most branches did not want her to serve. It would be nice to speculate the daughter is now quite aggrieved and cannot understand why she has lost a few million in honestly earned allowances from attending meetings.

However, we must do more than piously hope concerning the proposed increase in toll charges. Not one rupiah should be allowed to seep down to the slime where she and the other family shareholders live. No matter what percentage is registered as being owned by them in any of the tollway companies, the remaining shareholders must ensure that no dividends are declared and, if possible, arrange for those shares to be transferred out of the family hands for no compensation. They obtained the shares through corruption, collusion and nepotism when they rightfully belonged to the country, and are not entitled to benefit from them.

W. WALLER

Cianjur, West Java

Cianjur