Full disclosure of Bank Century is as likely as finding a Chinese restaurant thriving on planet Uranus, although the latter, with Branson's help, is possible.
As we all know, banks and bankers in particular are unscrupulous, unethical, conniving, devious, unprincipled human beings that would sell their granny (and yours) if there was money in it, and money, as we also know, is the perceived root to all evil.
Maybe President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has chosen the lesser of many evils in his recent half-hearted decisions, but that has left the country in a state where they know that one type of justice will likely take place: What they don't know is which one of the many.
The Pied Piper during our political history has always been paid, but when it comes to real life, the rat catcher is indeed an elusive character.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) can only be effective if they are given an absolute free hand to operate, and therefore going through a lengthy approval system (the desired and much-wanted loophole) to wiretap, is the same as setting the mousetrap with no cheese or goodies to entice the rodent.
All this fuss because people just cannot operate honestly; an entire system (country) riddled with collusion and corruption which would make good and interesting wallpaper in many of the established law institutions. Fear of exposure is (at this moment in time) one of the few growth industries of the country, but that is clearly upsetting the apple cart, which of course is exactly what is needed - or is it?
Irrespective of how people see the President you would have to feel sorry for him as, to bravely prize open the can of worms in this country, would be a surefire way of committing political suicide. You only need look at the chaotic reign of Gus Dur to realize that knights in shining armor fall off horses, and we all know where the lance finished up!
The compromise that will eventually worm its way to the surface will likely not satisfy most people, but then in this world "most people" don't count and that, like it or not, has always been the case.
I'm most certainly not saying that it is right, and I'm not saying it won't change, but it is how it is and always has been. With Barack Obama losing his charisma, Poo losing his PDI-P seat, Berlusconi maybe losing his neck, and now for some people SBY losing his way, it just goes to prove that all winners will eventually become losers in time.
The good news is that Indonesia is not short of scapegoats, as at the moment they are all being shuffled into a line, but even they, if found guilty of whatever, will slide away to a more-than-comfortable position so as to allow the ripples to settle on the much-protected political pond.
I looked back the other day to Queen Victoria who in 1878 was determined in her crown and petticoats to export the three "Cs" to the impoverished and uneducated world. This was Christianity, commerce and civilization, but unfortunately she never took on board collusion, corruption and chaos.
Don't push President Yudhoyono too much as he will know, like many others do, that this country is not yet ready for the big step.
Give him three Cs by all means, but these might be better as - calm, calculated and controlled as the can of worms could send out an odor that might even compete with CO2 emissions, and that would really stink.
David Wallis
Medan
