VP Center and UN troops

VP Center and UN troops

From Media Indonesia

The establishment of the Vice President Center is to me surprising and confusing, though I appreciate the attitude of Vice President Hamzah Haz, who has responded to public criticism and expressed his readiness to dissolve the center if requested by the President.

Former president Soeharto set up various foundations to procure funds from businessmen and civil servants, and these institutions were finally subjected to legal recourse. He also gathered dozens of tycoons in Jimbaran, Bali, to raise tens of billions of rupiah, which eventually ended up fulfilling the entrepreneurs' demand for facilities.

Now with the VP Center, I would like to suggest that this body be disbanded before negative developments follow. Moreover, the government is already determined to eliminate non-budgetary funds, so fund raising for the budget should be left to the Ministry of Finance.

In a separate issue, the United States is seeking the United Nations to dispatch its security forces to Iraq to replace the U.S.-British coalition forces in that country, which is now plagued by revolts against these invaders. Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said Indonesia would consider sending its troops if requested. In my view, we should not join the UN peace keepers because of the great political and military risks involved.

M. AMINUDIN Depok, West Java