Letter: Tale of muskrats, bandicoots

Mon, 08/11/2008 10:29 AM  |  Reader's Forum

The big news about a month ago on CNN and Fox News TV was the breach of a levee causing serious floods in a few towns in Missouri. Levee breaches in America are well known since New Orleans drowned following hurricane Katrina. So what is so special about this particular levee?

Apparently a muskrat dug its way under the levee and caused water to rush through themade.

So what is so great about this news? Fox News reported that one single darn rodent was responsible for the levee breach. I do not know who found out that the hole was dug by a single rodent.

When the Minnesota bridge collapsed about a year or so ago the TV quoted some authorities as blaming pigeon dung for the collapse of the bridge thanks to its corrosive properties. So far American animals have just caused flooding and brought down a bridge or two. And, of course, I am not referring to the two-legged rats who brought down entire companies and banks in the name of subprime loans.

That levee breach reminded me of the levee being built along the Sedyatmo turnpike to Soekarno-Hatta airport. The government probably fears that rising sea levels and heavy rains might flood the toll road and prevent senior officials from making a quick getaway before Jakarta submerges.

Obviously, the levee will serve two purposes. Firstly it will prevent the airport toll road from getting flooded. Secondly the flood water, thus prevented from reaching the toll road, will flow into the plush residential area.

Speaking of muskrats causing levee breaches, we seem to have an epidemic of bandicoots in Indonesia who are bringing down the economy of the country. They have successfully kept the image of Indonesia intactas one of the most corrupt countries.

Lawmakers have turned into lawbreakers. Lawmen have turned outlaws. Now we hear that two ministers in the SBY government received bribes. It is not surprising that Indonesian people, albeit reluctantly, want sharia law implemented, even if it is only for tackling corruption cases.

These corrupt gentlemen could be stripped below the waist and given a nice caning so that they cannot sit for a couple of months. The next step would be hand chopping. Maybe people feel it would be nice to see how many of the "repentant" lawmakers and law keepers would be willing to continue in their jobs minus a hand. Perhaps these repentant gentlemen will promise to fulfill their duties single-handedly.

YASH
Jakarta

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