Support for Timor car

Being an "expatriate", if this is the word for a guest of your beautiful country, however very familiar with the situation of the local car market, I would like to take the liberty to make some comments on your paper's never-ending attack on Timor Putra Nasional. My home country, Germany, is still proud today of the fact that the biggest car maker in Germany, the VW Group (VW=Volkswagen=the people's car) has grown from the ashes of World War II to today's size, thanks to the vision of a businessman, the support of the government and all the people of Germany. Therefore, forgive me for not understanding the Indonesian people's attitude, and particularly the local press, towards the wise decision of an Indonesian entrepreneur, backed up by the country's government, to launch the "VW of Indonesia," the national car.

Certainly the birth of such an extensive project is not done in one day nor in one year (remember, it took the German engineers 40 years) but it definitely does not deserve to be killed before it is able to hatch.

Here, the press and other media should be united with the people of Indonesia in support of the project and not be hostile, or reject the project.

Your paper (and others) always refer to the "built by foreigners, Kia car, which claims to be the national car".

This maybe an interim solution to gain technical know-how. Does it not speak for the owner of Timor Putra Nasional and the government to finance the project with the income from the "privileged" interim product, instead of using tax money from the Indonesian people? Does it not show everybody the sincerity and dedication of the entrepreneur taking such a high risk from his own pocket? Does it not show that with this project that private industry and the government can form an alliance for the benefit of all Indonesian people, by providing job opportunities and "in country" advanced technical education?

And last but not least, does it not raise the heads of those Indonesians who still look for technical superiority overseas -- Indonesians can do as well must be the message to them.

I personally feel very proud and honored to have the opportunity to make a small contribution to the project of the Indonesian National Car.

So, please give credit to the people engaged in and supporting this difficult task by supporting them morally in their effort to create the national car. Support does not mean to promote, but to inform the public about the mistakes and the achievements during the course of development.

GERHARD BOTHE

Jakarta