The enemy within?

It may sound like a title from a movie but it rather encompasses an issue which has been on everyone's mind: The monetary crisis and the recent panic buying spree. According to government officials, who give us various reassuring spoken gestures, the situation is under control and there should be no reason to worry.

I'm not denying that the government has been making an effort but it seems to be inadequate to convince the business community and the people. This is evident from the recent buying spree and vicious rumors of food shortages. The authorities have not made swift and concrete steps to address the current situation.

Reforms forwarded by the IMF should be studied carefully and executed according to the demands of the Indonesian market. The recommended closure of certain banks may have had its economic benefits, but in psychological terms it has brewed public doubt and worry, and for bank customers, panic.

These are the emotions that have been stirring within the economic community as well as the people. Ever since the rupiah started falling, a lot of people have been worried, and as the situation has worsened, panic has set in. The people really need some sort of direction and motivation apart from consoling. They need to be shown the progress being made, the clear steps that are being taken and, most of all, the efforts they can make to help.

The "Love Rupiah" campaign initiated by Mbak Tutut is certainly a positive step. But I am not convinced that any businessman in his right mind would ever convert a substantial amount of his wealth that is in U.S. dollars to rupiah if there was no profit in doing so. From a superficial point of view, changing dollars to rupiah would appear profitable, but in view of the instability and inflation, I wouldn't rush. Indonesians should be encouraged to buy homemade items and not rely on imports. They should travel locally and promote exports.

I wonder how our forefathers, who sacrificed much for the country's independence, would feel if they could see how the current generation cannot overcome a situation that really requires teamwork and cooperation between the government and the people. The recent buying spree does show a certain amount of distrust, but what surprised me most was that it was mostly the middle and upper class who rushed to the stores. In a way, their quality of education, patriotism and awareness should be questioned since they are the product of good upbringing according to Indonesian standards.

Another more disturbing fact concerning the crisis is that the prices of all sorts of commodities have gone up. This will have an impact on all levels of society. I fear that when the buying power of the average person on the street is substantially reduced, it could lead to a potential time bomb.

In a country where riots occur monthly on average, riots may become even more frequent and widespread. I have the fullest confidence that the government can overcome this inflation by taking proper measures. I would recommend that a special committee be set up to fix and monitor the prices of the nine basic food items.

We should always bear in mind that it is the people who have the power, therefore a hotline should be set up for the public to voice any complaints.

RUBAN SIVANOLI

Yogyakarta