INDONESIAN POLITICIANS AT WORK

Newly elected legislators, sleeping off their first visit to the trough?
The Stump is posting the above picture in the vain hope that it will become so widespread on the web that the people involved will become so humiliated they will crawl off back to their Kampungs where they belong.

The Stump doesn’t hold high opinions of politicians in any country but Indonesian pollies are simply mindboggling in their ability to amuse and disgust at the same time. It is a source of never ending wonder and occasional dismay when Indonesia is described as the Muslim world’s biggest democracy. Firstly the term “Muslim Democracy” instantly disrespects the millions of Indonesians who are not Muslims and have invested so much into making this nation what it is. Secondly, in a democracy, the legislators are in principle SUPPOSED to be responsible and answerable to the people who elected them. It could only be the most Arrack sozzled mind that would assume that is the case in Indonesia. In fact, in could be argued that that the only the sheer size of SBY’s (Indonesia’s President) win in the last election prevented a complete and bloody meltdown of what passes for democracy in Indonesia.

Back to the dark side, the Jakarta Post reported that over 60% of the newly elected legislators do not have a tax file number, although to be fair only 5% of the entire population has bothered to register with the tax office anyway. So essentially, 60 % of these trough feeders have never paid their way in society and now wish to hop on the tax payer gravy train. Principle, morality and honour are obviously fairly rubbery concepts for some.

Of course, this raises the question of who are the 5 % of honest people paying their way in this country?
Try the much maligned multi nationals, expats and Indonesians who actually care enough about Indonesia to give a stuff and ensure they pay their way. As for the rest of them, they are bludgers and parasites who need a swift kick up their leeching orifices.

Seems to the Stump, it’s not that difficult to gain majority compliance for NPWP despite the protests from inept government officials (is there another kind in this country?). Try perhaps a regulation where you cannot purchase a car, a motorbike or land without an ID Card and your NPWP (TAX FILE NUMBER). Surely if you have the money for one of those three items, it is a least reasonable to expect you to account for your tax burden to the state every year. Might be tricky getting the sleepy ones to stay awake long enough to enact the law but worth a try.

Don’t hold your breath though, we have more important things to worry about like Malaysia stealing songs and patterns that we stole first and sleeping off the effects of power without responsibility.