Minority Groups
Dec 10th, 2007, in Opinion, by DragonwallIndonesia is founded on discrimination against minorities, says Dragonwall.
Bribery, Corruption and Discrimination
New Order
After the ending days of President Soekarno, General Soeharto then took command as President and Supreme Commander of the Indonesian Armed Force (TNI) and began his rule of Indonesia from 1966-1998.
To commoners in Indonesia, at that time, when restricted media provided limited information to the general public, the ignorant citizens of Indonesia express in open arms that Soeharto with ambitious blood flowing in him, would better Indonesia and he will be a better person in running the country and he did without doubts.
Minorities
Thus gradually thrusting Indonesia over the years into the forefront of economic emergence amidst discrimination and rampant corruption.
Numerous loopholes found by law makers providing an alcove for bureaucrats to segregate and disfavor minority groups even more when he continued using the Dutch colonial Staatsblad in ruling Indonesia to much applause of bureaucrats and politicians with intention to capitalize on the situation who then implemented various techniques in differentiating the Chinese and Christians with Muslim and the Indigenous excepted.
Identity Card (KTP), Birth Certificate (Akte Lahir), Marriage Certificate (Surat Nikah), Indonesianize Name Change (Ganti Nama) Certificate of Naturalization (SBKRI) and many other amenities and facilities much to disfavoring the minorities when rules were set by Government and Civil Departments.
Bribery became the source of new income for Civil Servants (Pejabats) and Departmental Staffs when minorities hoping to be law abiding and obedient citizens express their allegiance for Indonesia and conform to what was deemed mandatory to an Indonesian into discarding their other foreign identity.
Those indigenous and others, who embrace Islam were not annexed, breezes through Government Departments with nominal fees whereas the minorities began their sometime futile pilgrimage in obtaining the necessary documents at the discretion of Departmental predators. Bribery was then resorted to be the only way out in solving their problems.
These was still considered insufficient when religious leaders began waging their faction’s flagship ushering their support, under the tutelage of Soeharto, starts their foundation work to be outspoken gathering support from followers, believers and enthusiasts, but Soeharto was still considered to be liberal and tolerant towards other religions.
Crisis & Reform Era
It then reaches the pinnacle when other politicians felt that they should be given an opportunity in the Presidency, political parties started to flourish challenging the ruling party Golkar, with PDI broadening their embankments with splinter group claiming their footing on support together with other opposing political parties seeking reform amidst the falling Rupiah and a weakened economy.
Politicians tussle within Departments and Army Chief elbowing one another lobbying for support amidst propaganda that led to the explosive revolt that ended with the minority being targeted and made a scapegoat in an ethnic genocide.
Thus began the reform with inefficient political leaders with hyperinflation on the bull and economic on the bear. Slowly the political stability began to crack in the presence of terrorism and escalating crime rate. Efforts to rescue Indonesia’s economy by Central Bank had rendered helpless with parliamentarians sipping coffee with state provided perks.
The existence of discrimination remains unresolved when Presidents who champion Human Rights were faced with ever discriminative laws drawn by law makers who were unwilling to blow the cover to find a remedy. Though the law had abolished the pre-requisite of SBKRI, officials still leash the law with much hypocritical pretence. The government promise to abolish the “fiscal” for Indonesians leaving the country but it is still a dream come true.
There are still obstacles to have the SBKRI totally abolish and since the Government is unwilling to have the Staatsblad abolished, it is generating heat slowly waiting like a predestined time bomb ready to explode in lieu of a remedy towards discrimination.
Department officials are thought to be continuing their corrupt practice by demanding, receiving or requesting bribes making it hard to be eradicated.
Corrupt Civil Servants at PAM, PLN, plying their tricks by not reading the meters on time when consumers were slapped with utility bills mostly charged on overage.
The Inland Revenue would grossly manipulate with accounts to reduce the official payments with the shrinkage difference made to parties involved in private collusion and whereas the Justice and Immigration Department still ply their tricks with pre-requisites necessary for passport making in lieu of a bribe.
The integrity and public image of Indonesia as a democratic society seemed to have tarnish with their sovereign insulted.
Carrying an Indonesian passport to many countries decry one of the most corrupt country in the world and for most Indonesian minorities, it is every which way but lose.
36 Comments on “Minority Groups”
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Dragonwall says:
First and foremost thanks to Patung and others for making this happen in anticipation of gathering momentum. I never really made up my mind until YIM showed his unrelentless effort in defending his action consorting with his allies in unspun blog.
I would be writing to the United Nation and Amnesty international by gathering all necessary information to present it to them to make an opening so as to establish a link enabling commuters in this blog to forward their support (if they stand up against the said campaign) directly to a safehouse entrusting them in this public outcry.
@ Iamisaid, corruption had started long before the pre-digital age many years after his rule as many had seemingly take for granted for things to be done and for pejabats it’s their daily bread and butter. when the only way out is to resort to bribe that later become their duty to be corrupt when the economic crunch in Asia sets the pace even faster in becoming even more rampant with a unprecedented magnitude. Someone on the bottom needs to sweep the trash making room for the upper to crash.
It is beyond doubt that almost all reform have rendered the promise to ‘membasmi KKN” useless in the presence of reluctant politicians and bureaucratic support and the concept of officials that “if I don’t do it now, I won’t get another chance” kind of attitude.
Regardless of religion you embrace, the greed and financial hunger factor seemed constant overcoming almost all low or high ranking officials who were consider to be underpaid and overwork. New techniques were implemented in covering their footsteps making it more difficult for SBY’s current campaign in “Washing Their Dishes-Cuci Pireng”. I hope to be able to establish a link to SBY in handling our effort.
Most pejabats are afraid of being indicted and are taking all efforts to better hide their loot. But none of them are willing to save Indonesia’s ailing economy. The uncompromising inter-departmental officials were sharking on their target causing even more corruption and theft to set in.
For the public, the only way to stop their rampant corruption is to stop bribing them with regardless. -
raden says:
how can we say Indonesia boleh with current gold medals SEA GAMES result ? Indonesia the biggest ASEAN country rank at the bottom, I feel ashame
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Janma says:
Don’t you want something else
Something new
Than what we got here?
Don’t you feel
It’s all the same?
Some sick game
So insincere.I wish I could
Change the ways
Of the world
Make it a nice placeUntil that day
I guess we stay
Doing what we do
Screwing who we screw.Lily Allen
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iamisaid says:
Hi Dragonwall,
I understand how you feel about corruption. It is loathesome and degenarative.
You gave it more poignancy by saying, “For the public, the only way to stop their rampant corruption is to stop bribing them with regardless.”
There was a time when the trucks heading into Malaysia spanned from end to end at the Singapore-Johor Causeway. The Malaysian Government in their anti-coruption drive stopped their Malaysian Customs Officers from accepting bribes.
This caused a havoc. As a result the Customs Officers conducted their duties according to the books. Even a reshuffle of Customs Officers did not alleviate the problem. The truck drivers and their assistants had to be paid overtime for the extra hours incurred, the truck rental operators could not turn around their trucks in time for other bookings, fuel consumption increased, goods were delivered late and on and on.
There was so much flak and the Malaysian Government had no other solution except to allow the “market forces” decide.
In quoting this example, it looks as though corruption lubricates the wheels of the economy.
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Remember the time when President Youdontknow (short for Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) was visiting China. At a Press interview, he praised how China effectively dealt with corruption.
Indonesians held their breath while they exchanged views about you don’t know what the President will do next when he returns from China.
Well, we know now don’t we?
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WP says:
Well, when corruption is so rampant and entrenched as in Indonesia, it is a bit pointless to try to nail some high official(s). Someone else that is just as corrupt will just take his/her place.
It is not realistic to hope to solve the corruption problem in short term. A long term systematic and structural approach would stand a better chance, but for that Indonesian people must have the political will to do it. However, since our political system (the parties, house members etc) is just as corrupt, and consisting of people badly underqualified for the job, I don’t think it will ever be able to do it.
So, Indonesia is stuck. “Kerakyatan yg adil dan makmur” (justice and welfare) which the country sets as a goal, and which is so over-quoted by politicians and by school books, is in my oppinion a big lie we’re telling to the people.
I too have no solution for this, other than to hit the reset button, and try again from the scratch. We will then have to redefine what we want, and what different population groups want, and with whom each want to stick together, or not.
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Hi WP,
Just to add to your well written response….
On the issue of corruption in Indonesia, an Indonesian lawyer once told me in hyperbole, that it would need a specially invented atomic bomb to purge Indonesia of her entire generation of adults but that bomb would not cause the death of infants. Then Indonesia may start anew.
Moments ago, I was thinking bomb or no bomb, if there is a solution, the punishment meted would force Indonesia to a grinding halt. Indonesia would have no one to administrate at every conceivable level in her soceity.
Then on the other hand, with the present mudah mudahan pussy footing approach in dealing with this wretched sub culture, here is the mathematical equation :
with n being the factor of unkown numbers divided by
x being the number of cases a year arraigned at Indonesian courts it would equal to
Zzzzzz number of eons before Indonesia finally sees the last of it.Therefore, even the solution preempts the problem.
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Lame, yes it’s all been the same, in this sick game which is so insincere, but none ashame so who to blame?
Yes it was back in the 80’s When the trucks heading into Malaysia spanned from end to end at the Singapore-Johor Causeway. The Malaysian Government in their anti-coruption drive stopped their Malaysian Customs Officers from accepting bribes
Efforts were made with the Malaysian to couple these preblems that went unheeded, so Singapore have to come up with the initiative of building a second and a thirf causeway to ease the flow. Now is like a breeze with most Immigration and Customs yawning all day long waiting for the next bus or truck to come by. So if the top doesn’t find a solution, we need to sweep the trash making room at the bottom for the upper to crash.
it is a bit pointless to try to nail some high official(s).
At this moment Indonesia is at the tip of the iceberg. Something must be done as the condition have been degerated for decades even century. Yes it is loathesome, but comparing the rampant corruption in China before hundreds of years have passed. When someone demanded a “slayer” be set in motion to kill one for others to give their respect. The ultimatum became clear, a cleaner China. Indonesia has only 1/6 the population of China. The road was straightened.
When the law is ready to show the public that politicians, ministers, pejabats and high ranking official be hunted down and meted with the harshes sentence that see no precedence, the lesson is taught. There must be a hairline crack to break the iceberg. Let take the case of Yusril as an example. Yes I am purposely highlighting this as there have been proven facts good enough to indict him. Someone at the bottom will need to put a pin under the seat of someone on the top like a pain in his ass, so that each time he seats he feel that he’s got to rid the menace or the pain. And I am hoping to put forward something that will enable them to put the pin under, like what you said to “youdontknow’s” seat. Once he rid this problem the field is clear. Then it may take up to 3 to 5 yrs to come. don’t you feel that this is better than for generation to come!Yes is in my opinion a big lie we’re telling to the people. it is true what more the majority under educated, a great percentage below average earning and a great part under the poverty line. Money recovered from these corruptors will serve some purpose for a huge nation. I hope to establish relation with Teten Masuki and collect the bits and pieces. The saying goes “dikit dikit, lama2 jadi bukit”. Because when you hit the rest button you are back to square one amidst rising cost and a higher bribe price.
need a specially invented atomic bomb to purge Indonesia of her entire generation of adults but that bomb would not cause the death of infants. Then Indonesia may start anew.
Like I said like a predestined time bomb ready to explode which become applicable like the blade of a knife that which ever way it slice will cut. In this assumption it is Discrimination and Corruption. the ready to explode factor becomes who starts that first. If we start it first we win, and if they start it first they win. I want to be the former.
That equation by and large depend on us and the public. Public by the number and year and the z factor will rely on us to pursue. Outcome, be it days, months, years, will see what happens. But most important thing is that this particular person had become a public enemy and his image in the eyes of the public he is no longer a good guy. To the world the attitude towards Indonesia will change drastic towards the better like China. Coupled with upgrading of securities in home affairs will thus enable investors to see that a cleaner growing Indonesia thus the economy will mutiple with strengthen currency, slowly will bring herself towards the straight road for generations to come.
I hope more input could be provided and lets put some concentration into this and see how we are able to help better the living environment, a better economy, a leaner government, a more prestigious public image that all Indonesians will be able to bring their heads up and say we have improve and to fight any insult and be proud of what our endeavor will bring to our children, grandchildren or great grand children who are Indonesians.
It a long road, and someone needs to clear the jungle of mess.
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It a long road, and someone needs to clear the jungle of mess.
My impression is that you badly underestimate the amount of mess need to be cleared.
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Would that be somewhere around 250 million? I know this is a mammoth undertaking. We are referring to the following:
(I)
1. Parliamentarians – DPR
– MPR
2. Ministers
3. Departments where these three are the major obstacles.Whereas:
(II)
a. Police
b. Armed Forces – AURI
– AL
– ADThose that are involved or pending that is about to be put to trial will be pressured to make sure they get priorities. First show.
Followed by those who knew and have evidence to report.
Followed by those who were in the process of being demanded bribery.To unload a container you need a forklift to unload pallet by pallet or multiple forklift taking turns.
Cut them into pieces and place them one by one in the converyor belt.
Does that seem logical.
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dewaratugedeanom says:
Corruption has to be eradicated from grassroots level upward. As long as wong cilik bows to everyone endowed with even the smallest amount of power, corruption will always be with us. No national or supranational institution will succeed in handling the problem. It is the Indonesian mindset that needs overhaul.
Maybe we need people’s heroes to identify with. Or Majapahit.P.S. Blaming the bule may also help. 😉
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Oigal says:
Blaming the bule may also help.
I hope so because as long as that goes on nothing will change and I will always have a job.
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so … rampant corruption maybe the culprit why Indonesia rank at the bottom of the SEA GAMES gold medalions recipients ? the magnitude destruction caused by corruption not only submerged Porong with mud, burnt our forest, etc but in sport we are no longer a tiger in ASEAN region. Why oh why oh why ? why Indonesian pejabat suka money more than their moral than their individual dignity & integrity ? why money & power are the utmost objective of Indonesian officers ? I can leave happily with just adequate money without luxurious things surrounding my life, why ?
should we kill them all ? with bomb ? then we are part of the terrorist ? if not when it will ends ? when Indonesia can prosper ?should we leave this shameful country because hope is barely with us ….
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raden,
Count your blessings, it’s not all that bad.
Look at your neighbouring country Malaysia. It has been made public by a widely respected, a credible no bullsh*t critic of Malaysian affairs that the present Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi is….
it’s better said in the words of the writer, so allow me to quote the writer, Raja Petra Kamaruddin :
“Today, that has been proven. Today, the Attorney-General has proven that the Prime Minister is the patron of the Chinese organised crime syndicate just like he is the patron of the Malay underworld, PERKIDA.” Unquote.
reference : http://www.malaysia-today.net/nuc2006/index.php?itemid=1042
Good heavens, Malaysia is being led by a Mafia Chief!
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dragonwall said:
Does that seem logical.
I’m afraid not….
Raden said:
why money & power are the utmost objective of Indonesian officers ? I can leave happily with just adequate money without luxurious things surrounding my life, why ?
In itself there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone is entitled to wishing luxurious life, pejabats included. If you’re being fair, you should probably also reward your pejabats handsomely. Afterall running a country of the size of Indonesia is not a simple thing. It was a huge mistake by Soeharto to view his civil servants as patriots kemerdekaan. They are not, and should not be forced to.
Anyway, the bad thing about corruption is not so much in the injustice, but in that it leads to bad decisions, low quality infrastructures, low quality products etc to be made and purchased by the government. This is what now strangling us.
should we leave this shameful country because hope is barely with us “¦.
That is indeed an option….
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WP said : “Anyway, the bad thing about corruption is not so much in the injustice, but in that it leads to bad decisions, low quality infrastructures, low quality products etc to be made and purchased by the government. This is what now strangling us.”
me : Exactly! couldn’t be said any better.
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When I said to cut them up into pieces and then place them onto conveyor belts we are packing them together. We will need a box. Then it will go like this.
First we need to have a CPIB like the ones in HK and Singapore.
Set up hotlines, email address and mailing address.
Report all those to Kapolwil, Kapolda, Powiltabes, Kapolri and Mabes. Gradually someone will look into it and someone will have to be the fall guy. If more and more of these happens, and reaches the ears of Home Affairs, Justice and the President. They know something wrong is going to happen. So they have a choice of protecting them his position. Ultimately the floor crack. . If they do unearth the root section by section, pick them up place them in a box and sent them to court.
If the top is involve then somewhere somehow the top will crash. The lesson taught and hoped the lesson learn. One department after another, the gap gets closer and closer until such time they feel that it becomes unworthy for them to risk certain things in their life. So the bell have rung to make things official and not private thus shifting their attention from for their own cause to state cause. It will come a time for others who is in the wrong that money can’t buy anything for an easy way out.
Section by section, department by department one by one. People tends to get smarter than getting more stupid. If they can’t learn the lesson then they are those hard core that needs to be treated with some specialty like harsher sentence term.
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Sputjam says:
Malay types, whether in indonesia, malaysia or phillipines were never traders to begin with. If there was trading, it was done on a small scale.
When malacca was at its peak, the malay rulers and their “datuks” were merely tax collector. Money obtained from collecting taxes goea to maintaining their small army and wooden palace.
Malacca grew in popularity after they were accorded protected territory status by the Ming emperors through Cheng Ho(Zheng He). efore this time, the Malacca sultanate was threatened by Thai invaders (who occupied Temasak, present day singapore temporarily).
Coming to the present day, The malays are still useless when it comes to trading and business. Their desire is still collecting taxes. If they are not collecting legal taxes, they will try to implement illegal ones.
To get rid of this mentality, you need a slim government, but highly profesional and well paid. This will mean those sitting doing nothing but thinking of another bribe scam will be out of job, as they are not professional, and those devoted to their jobs get to stay.
We cannot impement a system such as in china whereby corrupters are excuted because the justice system is flawed and easily bought. Only if the justice system is fixed can we apply the “Chinese way”.
coming back to indonesia, corruption is like tipping in the USA. It has become part of life. Reason for this is that there is just not enough jobs to go around and the pay is not enough to feed the normal family.
To solve this, You have to ensure that the malays become capitalisitic. Instead of depending on the government for jobs (it used ot be working for the sultan of local war lord), they should be creative and start impementing new ideas in solving their everyday woes, and make money selling the idea.
Some of the ideas may include simple sea planes to make island hopping more efficent and does not involve building airports as it could land in rivers as well as protected seas. This invention alone will ensure that fishes from villages could be shipped fresh to cities ensuring better livelihood for rural and isolated fishermen.
Small power producing generators, using solar (ideal for sumbawa but not in other parts due to cloud cover) and sea currents and tides could be designed ensuring power for small isolated villages. In some areas, the sea currents/tides can be quite powerful and fast flowing. The turbines could be a undirectional design. With power and logistical problems solved, other industries could be developed naturally.
Every town with a population of 250000 or more should have their own TV and radio stations, with their own mobile telco, banks, to suit local conditions. The license should be automatically approved if a local guy can achieve certain conditions set by the government. And if the business thrive, then that company can grow to other areas with conditions attached.
Presently, most of these decisions are made in jakarta. This only complicates matters and also the reason why provincial cities are always lagging. Remove the bereaucracy, let local prvince manage on their own and you will see more business activities, meaning more jobs will be created and more money flowing between on eperson to the other. More jobs and business, means more tax collection, equals to more wealth for goverment servants.
Presently government servants are bleeding businesses, means less expansion, more cash flowing outwards and results in poverty and bribery/crime.
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Sputjam
I fully support the philosophy behind your post. Indonesia needs a pyramidal decentralized governmental management led by fewer but highly qualified and well paid professionals. They shouldn’t work under Jakarta’s umbrella but know how to make use of respective local idiosyncrasies and peculiarities. Their remuneration and position should be based on performance and reviewed periodically.
More cash should stay in the regions for the improvement of local infrastructure and to create business and job opportunities.
However someone will have to break the mold and build a new model. Ousting those in power and who benefit from the status quo will probably need a revolution. -
Nicely written Sputjam.
To get rid of this mentality, you need a slim government, but highly profesional and well paid. This will mean those sitting doing nothing but thinking of another bribe scam will be out of job, as they are not professional, and those devoted to their jobs get to stay.
This is what I meant , a leaner government. All of them professional streamlined in ministerial post. As for DPR and MPR they need not just partai leaders but really from the people and for the people. Not just receiving envelopes and monthly jata and close one eye passing Bills. (I hope the envelopes does not contained US Bills).
I think this is gross misinterpretations. The Chinese Laws was revised (only if there were not political pressures exerted on law enforcement-KKN) and most of them executed were not those flawed by the law.
pay is not enough to feed the normal family.
In earlier comments I did say that the government needs to raise the pay like when someone said Singapore Ministers were over paid because the country is rich.
The pay hike will lessesn their idea of corruption, meaning they will be more responsible, efficient, no hindrance, unabated, and see straight more towards the law that was flouted. People get away with bribery doesn’t learn the lesson.
This invention alone will ensure that fishes from villages could be shipped fresh to cities ensuring better livelihood for rural and isolated fishermen.
I once came up with the idea of bringing fresh water to outlying remote areas. I purpose bought a RO from Australia costing me some A$11,000.00 from the Jakarta Fair and have that tested. But the capacity wasn’t big enough so I left it at home to convert the PAM (partly sea water) into potable water.. Whereas the bigger units, those inhabitants or the provincial government can’t afford.
I hope I am able to get my daughter to help me on the topic of potable drinking water to outlying areas.
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dewaratugedeanom Says:
However someone will have to break the mold and build a new model. Ousting those in power and who benefit from the status quo will probably need a revolution.
This can easily be sorted out if politicians see themselves as managers and not rulers of a country.
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Hi dragonwall,
You said : “I once came up with the idea of bringing fresh water to outlying remote areas. I purpose bought a RO from Australia costing me some A$11,000.00 from the Jakarta Fair and have that tested. But the capacity wasn’t big enough so I left it at home to convert the PAM (partly sea water) into potable water.. Whereas the bigger units, those inhabitants or the provincial government can’t afford.
I hope I am able to get my daughter to help me on the topic of potable drinking water to outlying areas.”
me : Kudos to you ! Even if you fail, try, try again. I would love to hear of your success. It would mean a great deal to the those neglected people. Even if the capacity is not big enough, to have treated water for their consumption is in itself a big achievement.
The R.O system that you purchased must be really huge compared to the R.O unit that I installed at my Indonesian house.
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About the size of a huge fridge.
This unit turns out around 1000 liters per day using a generator. This set would cost even more at this moment.
I am not sure right now as my daughter is attending university in civil engineering.
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WOW! that is one big mother of an R.O system.
Don’t give up dragonwall. Like I said, I would love to hear about your success.
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Well lets see how it develops.
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Dragonwall should not have bought the potable R.O. system.
Indonesian conditions permit the use of rainwater as a source of fresh water, except maybe in the Sembawa islands, where the climate is dry.
The rainwater that falls of the roof should be collected in water containers in areas situated away from fresh water resource such as rivers and lakes. Otherwise some other form of rain water collecton system could be thought of.
Otherwise a well could be dug and the water filtered before consumption.
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Hi Sputjam,
Good point.
At my Indonesian house, I collect rain water too. And there is a BUT.
Yes, like you said, the weather. Where I am, and how the weather has been over the past two years, rain water did not suffice.
A combined solution? Definitely, wouldn’t hurt.
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After reading Dragonwall’ article here, apparantly being minority groups in Indonesia like our Indonesian Tionghoa brothers/sisters is not an easy matter. If we compare it to what is happening in Malaysia, I think you would agree with me, the Malaysian Indian race could be rank no 3 citizen in their home country. Unofficially the Malaysian believe the no 1 Citizen is always the Malay bumiputera then the no: 2 is the Chinese (because ali – baba business, they are still doing well), then the leftover is the Indian who were brought by the colonial to the Peninsula to perform as kuli and facing trouble to meet their living. But, I symphaty with the Malaysian Indian despite they are outnumbered in quantity but they are dare to set up a mass street demonstration.
What would it happen if our chinese brothers will do the same in Jalan Salemba/Senin Jakarta ? do you think it will repeat the amok masa like May’98 riot in Jkt/Solo/Probolinggo/Palembang/Medan?
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Hi raden,
“no 1 Citizen is always the Malay bumiputera”
The Malaysian Constitution, does not espouse that the Malays are THE no. 1 citizens of the country. It is a long story to explain how matters concerning the Malays have reached this point where it is being used as a political weapon vis-a-vis the other races in Malaysia.
Fact is a larger part of the Malay community has not benefitted from the New Economic Policy or what is now known amongst the non-Malays rather as the Never Ending Policy. It is all political sandiwara. The Malays are now starting to realise that their past loyalty to those in power to gain their votes and to remain in power.
About the rest of what you mention, some parts true, some parts arguable.
The recent Indian protest does not represent the entire Malaysian Indian community. In fact, they are not the official Indian Political Party and not a Political Party.
It is a tough situation in Malaysia and it is getting out of control.
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Suharto’s New Order was a euphemism for My Order.
In giving Suharto the benefit of the doubt for just a moment here, he may have started with some grandiose vision for Indonesia. However like almost every Asian and South East Asian national leader, he wasted himself in avarice and reinforced his power with sycophants and cronies till his end.
Indonesia’s several attempts to Reform after Suharto was mere Inform. Everyone knew about everything.
Corruption is practised with an attitude of “the birds and the bees do it, why can’t I? You know – let’s all go down screwing; because our leaders have screwed us, so we screw too. Hey, you don’t pay taxes, so I am not stealing YOUR money.”
The ex-Malaysian P.M, Mahathir rallied his countrymen with the slogan, “Malaysia Boleh” which Malaysians poke fun as “Malaysia Boleh apa pun” as in Boleh Rasuah, Boleh Bunuh, Boleh Mainkan and so on.
Indonesia has Boleh too without a slogan!