Defining Poverty

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 07/31/2007 12:16 PM | Opinion

""Are you poor?"" ""No, my expenditure is around Rp 170,000 (US$19.10) per month. And this amount classifies me as ""Not Poor"" in Indonesia!""

In most parts of the world the definition of poverty is around Rp 550,000 per month ($2 per day), which I consider to be ridiculous.

As a guest in Indonesia I have no right to criticize. But as a member of human society, who loves this nation and its people, I get furious and sad when I become aware of such shameful facts (The Jakarta Post, July 3. ""Poverty numbers down 'slightly'"").

Students of economics in their first semester learn that ""basic necessities"" are food, clothes and housing.

How can a human being survive on Rp 166,697 per month, which means Rp 5,500 per day, to cover their ""basic necessities""?

What about electricity, health care, and education?

As a member of society I would like to give the following advice to my fellow human beings who call themselves ""leaders"" and ""people's representatives"": Confiscate (and do not just blah, blah) the trillions of rupiah from graft and corruption cases and give them to the poorest, who are suffering because you have failed to clean up the mess for nearly a decade.

MICHAEL P BEER
Amlapura, Bali

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