I have to laugh at some of the responses. The same was true of the Indonesian government's response to the survey from the World bank. What? Do you think the world is out to get you?

They are telling you that you have a real problem, yet no one in the country wants to listen. You have everything here: a huge population, strategic location and natural resources that are the envy of the world.

Yet your people mostly live in poverty. Maybe you should listen to what others have to say. This country should be a super power, but it will never achieve anything unless you listen to the criticism and do something about it.

JIM

Jakarta

This just brings up a fact (about corruption) which should be actually quite obvious already. Big companies may thrive when only them have the sufficient funds to buy legal system behind them to make even more money but again obviously that is a tragedy for everyone else.

Then these surveys only give us *collective opinions' of some group, which was selected to be interviewed. There is yet to be desired that actual studies with quantitative information were conducted.

RICHARD

Jakarta

Diving fatality -- Sept. 20, Bali page

The Japanese man died because he was bent. I was at the scene when it happened. We were at Crystal Bay diving and towards the end of our dive, we saw the couple holding hands while diving together.

They just descended not too long ago when we passed them in the opposite direction. Soon after we ascended onto our dive boat, there was a commotion on the surface.

The Japanese man's girlfriend was frantic and hysterical on the surface while escorted by a Divemaster onto our boat. She was crying bitterly saying something about her boyfriend.

Apparently, her boyfriend shot up to the surface too quickly from a depth of about 15 meters or so (we last saw them underwater), causing serious decompression sickness. This is often termed bents - when pressure is released too quickly from a pressurized depth to the surface, causing air bubbles to form in blood vessels leading to unconsciousness and death.

A doctor was present at the scene and CPR was administered, but it was already too late. His Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) was fully inflated which was caused by the speed at which he ascended.

LONG

Denpasar

Against porn bill -- Sept. 15, p. 1

All those politicians should ask themselves why tourists are not coming to Jakarta or other places in Indonesia? Because news and bills like this are the death of tourism for Indonesia, and for sure this 2008 campaign will not help because this campaign was made so unprofessionally that it's just a shame.

The government could not even learn from Malaysia, India, or South Korea on how to make a campaign.

This bill will put Indonesia just far behind all other Asian countries, but I guess about this is nobody talking in the religious schools in Jakarta or wherever in Indonesia.

MAKABE

Jakarta

This is a complete double standard. How are we going to enforce it? Our judicial system is the worst in Asia as recently reported.

This law will divide Indonesians everywhere. What will happen to our beautiful statues and artwork in Prambanan? Will that be censored too?

Our unique culture is vanishing and soon there will be nothing to distinguish us from rest of the world.a very sad position that we are in. I was once a proud to have Indonesian heritage, but nownot sure anymore.

IAN

Sydney

Popular

Fifteen dead in South Sulawesi landslides, floods: BNPB

More than meets the eye in photo of orangutan ‘offering help’ to man

How US campus protests over Gaza differ from Vietnam war era