Why don't we learn from past mistakes
Why don't we learn from past mistakes
From Kompas
Due to the fuel price hike by more than 100 percent the common people's life has become increasingly difficult. The prices of all basic commodities in the provinces are going up by about 25 to 40 percent.
The fuel compensation aid is not deemed very significant. The management of the aid distribution has been in disorder with very poor coordination prevailing in the central and all regional levels, not to mention in the smallest administration units such as sub-districts and villages.
Moreover, during Ramadhan, the condition of communities is becoming more and more disheartening. The people's burden does not only concern provision of food but it also includes education and health care costs.
The government's promises to communities living in remote areas that they would enjoy free education and health care have not been fully realized. The government seemed to be unprepared to anticipate the affect of the price hikes on people in the low- income bracket.
The government is apparently reluctant to learn from its past mistakes. For example, it has not made a practical program to conduct market operations in connection with the condition of basic commodities, and to improve the management of infrastructure as well as transportation facilities.
How many fishermen have stopped their activities? How many small businesses and industries have gone bankrupt? And farmers are on the brink of quitting their farms for more promising jobs. All these are due to the government's incompetence.
Is it necessary for us all to tighten our belts? And for whom? It is already a reality that the poor who number around 15,5 million families are already experiencing a miserable existence. So there is no question of them tightening their belts any more. Their belts are already too tight.
Actually the government should concentrate on how to help the poor, by revising its inefficient policy. The new policy should include efficiency in using the state budget, providing more employment opportunities through provision of credit for small businesses and industries; improvement in market access and education and health services. All these programs should be designed for medium -and long-term objectives.
SJAFRI MANGKUPRAWIRA Bogor, West Java