Forum: Editorial: Airport links

Tue, 12/30/2008 11:02 AM  |  Reader's Forum

Is anyone concerned with the elevated road? Just wondering, cause watching the construction, I noticed that many of the pillars holding the road up do not look correct in many places.

I'm not an engineer, but I think the pieces should fit together better than what I am seeing -- many of them are off center, crooked, and not particularly even. Maybe it doesn't matter. JIM S.
Jakarta

 

The Indonesian government is not very keen to woo tourists as what can be seen from the current poor environment at Soekarno Hatta.

They should have realized long before that the airport has been left far behind other regional aviation hubs, e.g. Kuala Lumpur International Airport or Singapore's Changi Airport.

I have several ideas that might be essential to improve the situation in Soekarno Hatta:

First, furbish the terminal with more duty free shops and cafes, especially at the departure terminal. The department is not any better than my LRT interchange station in Kuala Lumpur. Basic facilities should be upgraded/replaced, including toilets and seats.

Second, VOA regulations should be made less inconvenient. Many European/U.S. tourists complain about the bad red tape encountered at our visa counter.

Third, remove/curb unsolicited taxi drivers hovering at the arrival foyer. It shows that Indonesia does not have strict regulations on ground transportation arrangement at its main international airport. Furthermore they are an eyesore to SHA and might decrease the tourists' first impression.

Fourth, Soekarno Hatta needs to have a better direct air connection with global cities to enjoy more arrivals. Most tourists have to fly via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Dubai before they can get to Indonesia,

Fifth, safer airlines! DEWI RANIA
Jakarta

 

The very first impression of the country is the deal with immigration at the airport.

For example, it took me one hour to get a visa on arrival, only one counter was open. And we were lucky, our plane was the only one in at that time.

I have been in almost all major airports in Asia, and sometimes we also have to wait. In Shanghai for example, you also have to spend time clearing your visa.

But this is mainly due to the huge amount of people landing at the same time. And you can feel that the service is well done when you look at the counter, maybe 20 posts, all open. BOURRIN
Jakarta

 

Lessons from European history -- Dec. 19, p. 7

Zaman (the writer), you write, "The point of this article is that we must learn from the West, but we need to distinguish between their failures and successes, and avoid the former while adopting means to acquire the latter."

I think the large majority of people in the West would fully agree with that. Very few would deny the many dark pages in the history of Europe.

But what you write in the rest of your opinion piece sounds more like the total decline and collapse of Western civilization is very near, and hasn't produced anything more than suffering.

The "self-glorifying point of view of Europeans" is in fact quite often just (in contrast to what you write) an exaggerated shame and feeling of guilt over its historical past. For example, I've become far less "guilty" of the West after I lived and spent a lot of time in non-Western countries and have seen and experienced things personally -- contrasting what was spoon-fed to me in during my European education.

You should be aware of the self-critical attitude in Europe. At least, if you would, consult an average spectrum of sources -- which I believe you should be able to access, even in the USA.

Then your point of view would also be a little bit more balanced. PAULO
Jakarta

 

It seems to me Paolo only plays a blame game. Who shares the blame for all the bad things that have happened in the world today. Is it the West or others? To me, it is one-sided too. We all share the blame.

I do agree with Zaman that we must learn from the West, but the West also needs to learn from others. History says the West did not create its own civilization overnight. They learned and used others also like from Islam.

You cannot wash your hands by saying that all the bad things that happened in "the third world" was their own fault. The West indeed, contributed significantly.

Bad things in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, did not happen by themselves. Someone did it to them, and you know who. INDRA
Jakarta

 

Ex-Singapore envoy convicted -- Dec. 18, p.1

What a shame. We all know that in general R1 (The President) appoints those people who have served the nation at a so-called first-echelon level.

After their retirement, they receive the post as highest representatives of the Republic of Indonesia in foreign countries and receive a salary of US$10,000 monthly.

This salary is net, and does not include other expenses that they get from the Foreign Ministry or from side businesses! Please notice they already have sat on wet seats for at least a few years before.

It seems that sitting on a wet seat and having the pleasure to have a salary way beyond the horizon of the poor people is still not enough!

Again, what a shame for Indonesia as a whole. JEFFREY
Jakarta

 

I truly wonder about the personal morality of the bureaucrats and politicians that go on criminally stealing from the people of Indonesia.

Their greed means less money for the needy, the poor, the ill, and above all, the education system.

They surely have no sense of shame, no commitment to their nation.

It is a "public secret" that almost every Government employee and most politicians regularly practice mark ups as a routine way of stealing from the citizens of Indonesia.

I hope the KPK can expand on their already impressive performance. But until there are genuine reforms in terms of accountability in the public service, the corruption and stealing from the citizens of Indonesia will flourish.

Which presidential candidates are prepared to commit to a blitz campaign to protect the people's finances from criminally corrupt public servants, and to restore Indonesia's image as a moral nation? NAIRDAH
Jakarta

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