Where is SPSI?

Where is SPSI?

From Pelita

It seems that several times we have heard the demand that an official should resign because he is considered to have offended or even trifled with the sense of justice of the community.

Certainly still fresh in our memory is the hullabaloo for officials to give up their positions and be held ethically and morally accountable for the case of mega corruption and collusion at Bapindo, which involved a number of high-ranking state officials. Even "the Law" could not touch them.

We must also still remember a case at the Ministry of Transportation which involved a presidential aide, who was later only required to reflect on his behavior. Only introspection was required and again "the Law" could not touch him.

Then there was the case of the bank account of the Ministry of Mines and Energy. Strangely enough, a ministry account suddenly found its way to a personal account. Again here the law could do nothing. We are admirable indeed. Don't we have a motto reading: Ever onward, never retreat?

It is not necessary for our officials to feel embarrassed as we have a terrific motto.

So now what's the use of making an issue over the funds of the workers' social security company (Jamsostek) which the manpower minister has allegedly used to smoothen the discussion on the controversial manpower bill? This will only be a waste of time and energy as the case will end up just like any other similar cases previously. History teaches us a lesson and of course this is something that we cannot afford to forget. The Jamsostek case involves respectable members of the House of People's Representatives, who were elected through an incident-fraught general election. Things in this respect will get more complicated as bringing these House members to court will only be possible with the president's permission.

However, as I am a worker who pays a monthly Jamsostek premium and as I am also a member of the All-Indonesia Workers' Union (SPSI), which claims that "scores of millions" of its members join Jamsostek, it is my hope that when problems like the present Jamsostek case arise, SPSI should say something and not just stay quiet.

As a member of SPSI, it is only natural, therefore, that I ask the SPSI leadership to defend the interests of SPSI members when these interests are harmed by other parties. Otherwise, the impression is that the union is always at the losing end. Or perhaps silence is the right attitude? Isn't silence golden? If so, I do not know which is right.

BUDHI SANTOSA

Bogor, West Java