Youngsters set good example

Youngsters set good example

I highly valued the article Time to go for pro-Soeharto
legislators written by Mr. Dillon on the front page of The
Jakarta Post on April 22, 1999. He clearly explained why the
political elite in Indonesia is of a poor quality and blamed it
on the lack of courage and morality of our government. The same
people, the same way of thinking, the same outcome: right now
just as it was during the previous system. Our political
representatives seldom show moral courage or independence. They
prefer to play it safe. The present government is a bad example
indeed for the people who are losing their morality in a hurry
with fighting, destruction, cruelty, murder and betrayal.

The damage caused by the government of Soeharto is, in the
first place, not because of the financial set-back of the
country. It was the example it set to get power and material
benefits by any means without ever considering the loss of their
own morality or the loss of justice for the people of Indonesia.

I have no experience in political circles, but I would like to
make some comments based on daily life. It is this: not only are
our government representatives guilty of keeping quiet, but
almost all Indonesian adult citizens are, too. We kept silent out
of fear for the iron fist and Soeharto. We suffered from his
system and yes, we suffered also from our own fear for the
consequences if we dared to speak up. Our fear made us a bad
example to our children.

Therefore, I extremely admire the youths and among other the
students, who had the insight to take action and sacrifice
themselves in order to break out of the former system. They
serve as an example for the older generation.

Nothing, however, is more difficult than to admit that the
older generation made mistakes. It is more convenient to defend
our behavior, so we try to convince ourselves and others that we
were right. We had after all good reasons for our attitude,
didn't we? If these youths were us in our age, our position, our
knowledge, our financial responsibility, then maybe they would
understand us better, too. "Those young people are too
spontaneous, too idealistic. To demonstrate in the streets! For
heaven's sake... you're risking your life!"

Maybe we could learn something from them.

ROSINI NIMPOENO

Sawangan, West Java