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Forum: The poor not allowed to be sick?
Thu, 07/24/2008 10:39 AM | Reader's Forum
What a terrible situation that Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital drove out 30 poor families who were members of the Social Health Insurance (JKM).
Cipto Mangunkusumo is a government-owned hospital. If they did such a thing to these people, then to whom can people turn for protection? Just kill poor people if government officials do not want to (or cannot) take care of the poor!
How poor this country is if government officials only want to do easy jobs but want to bring home lots of money.
FADJAR SETYANTO
Jakarta
BI corruption case
It is pathetic to read that Aulia Pohan retracted his testimony against Burhanuddin Abdullah, his former boss. Bank Indonesia is rife with corruption.
Testimony given by criminals is never reliable and the judge should issue harsher sentences and condemn these liars to long prison terms.
Furthermore, it is quite evident that our Parliament is a nest of greedy political power brokers and criminals who demand payments for slowing down or speeding up proposed bills awaiting deliberation.
Members of Parliament are given generous salaries yet they still demand bribes. It is horrifying to realize that the fate of this country is in the hands of unscrupulous individuals who do not care what happens as long as they can line their pockets.
LYNNA VAN DER ZEE OEHMKE
Bogor, West Java
Mudflow case prosecution -- July 19, p. 5
What a big joke this has become. It reveals how inept the Indonesian government is. Why do they involve the police? Here is what they should do to resolve this. Hire three well-known geologists from three different countries.
If they determine it's a natural event then the government takes care of the people affected. If it's Lapindo's fault make them pay or execute them, as is normal in Indonesia.
GEORGE MELLON
Jakarta
Even if one were blind, deaf and dumb, one could see the writing on the wall. Bakrie is one of the richest men in Indonesia, a sitting minister and thus extraordinarily powerful and the AGO is political motivated.
It's good to see that the police have the backbone and ethics to follow the truth and not the paid spokesmen for Lapindo (the other geological "experts").
SBY for being a general has shown the courage of a rat.
BRIEN DOYLE
Jakarta
On Muhammad Ali's letter -- July 19, p.7
I was most appalled to read the response of Muhammad Ali as he derided the CTF report and denied the truths about the gross violations of human rights committed in Timor Leste during the period 1975 to 1999.
While I have the utmost respect for both Indonesia and Timor Leste for their commitment to resolve the past and move forward in peaceful diplomatic relations, it is hateful prejudice such as that exemplified by Ali that infuriates the international community.
To think that Indonesia had the right to burn, loot, raid, murder and torture a dissenting population just because they are much smaller in number (I refer to Ali's 1:230 comparison) is simply imperialistic bigotry that is totally incompatible with the spirit of Pancasila.
As such, I applaud President Yudhoyono for his moral courage in facing the past squarely, calling a spade a spade and taking responsibility for past wrongs -- a disposition that is diametrically opposed to Ali's irrational denial.
SEBASTIAN KU
Singapore
