Lords of the RINGS

"Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong. You cannot shirk this and be a man." Mark Twain

From time to time, Indonesian bloggers particularly expatriate bloggers face the accusation they are too critical of Indonesia and its ways (for want of a better term). In many cases, quite rightly and I do include myself.

In my defence, its the old story when you do good no one notices...do bad and the world world knows about it.

So in that vein and with the bottom feeders already at the trough positioning for the next election, I thought I would so a post appealing for help to identify those in power, who actually are working for the people. You know the good guys, the honest ones, the ethical ones.

The Jakarta Post gives a great example today, there must have been at least one person who said NO THANKS!

I won't link to the post, the links disappear anyway, but story goes like this..

Three members of the Bekasi Legislative Council from the 1999-2004 period returned Friday gold signet rings that were bestowed upon them as gifts at the end of their terms in office.

The rings, worth Rp 66.6 million each (about $7000USD EACH), were given to 45 councilors. But the Supreme Audit Agency found they were improperly purchased, using budgetary funds.

Ok we can discount the three members who gave the rings back as good guys. Its safe to assume they only did it after The 2004 Presidential Decree on guidelines for regional budget spending which states that money for gifts, souvenirs or bouquets cannot be taken from the budget was issued.

(Getting nervous lads..if it was an attack of ethics, it took a long time coming).

So my question is surely there was one man/woman who didn't need a Presidential Decree to tell right from wrong?

Surely there is one man/woman who looking around the conditions that Bapak and Average have to endure thought "gee a $7000 gift from the council budget, in country with 10 million unemployed (officially, unofficially I reckon you could times that by 5 and still be under)is not really the thing to do?

Surely, there is one man/woman who looked at the schools in the said area and just vomited at the thought of taking the ring?

Who is he/she?

We need a hero!!

Perhaps we could start a bloggers dream team??? (if we can find enough respectable contenders, gotta admit cupboard looks bare).