Vacations: A moral tale

Vacations: A moral tale

To an untutored vacationer on leave from an industrialized
country such as Europe, Japan or America who passes through
Jakarta during Ramadhan, the mass exodus from the capital, which
he witnesses through TV or other media, does not raise his
curiosity too much. That is, until he is informed by a friend
that the festive week, including Lebaran proper, is really an
extraordinary holiday, a kind of collective paid leave,
government approved.

"You mean, this comes on top of the usual, once-a-year
holidays?"

"Yes it does; Lebaran proper lasts only two days."

"So, what about Christmas and New Year?" he asks.

"Well, officially it's not sanctioned, but absenteeism between
both holidays is also common."

"And this phenomenon has happened for the past two to three
decades, especially now that more people can afford a car to make
the arduous journey to the countryside? That's terrific! Surely,
Indonesians must have been exceptionally productive to earn this
kind of vacation!" he exclaims.

"Not exactly; the country received billions of dollars of
development aid over the same period."

Now his curiosity turns to incredulity. He muses on how work
discipline back home forces him to work those strenuous, 8-hour
days, five days a week for 11 months of the year and that this
one-month vacation does not actually compensate for the year-
long, strength-sapping work at his office.

All of it was intended to increase his country's economic
growth and competitiveness, so he was told.

Observing many undernourished children in the villages he
passes on his trip to Yogjakarta, he asks how an obviously poor
country can afford such luxuries without going bankrupt.

"But this is really a rich country, overflowing with minerals
and other natural resources," his partner explains, "only, most
of the generated wealth has somehow or other evaporated, leaving
a small portion only for the welfare of these poor villages we've
just passed. The villagers can, luckily, survive on a diet that
will not, however, create strong people. And, of course, there's
that cartel of donor countries, without whose aid the poor
villagers would become more destitute. Really, those cartel
governments are wonderful philanthropists!"

D. RATULANGI
Bandung