Comments: Airport and social problems -- May 24, Online

Authorities at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport urged the government Monday to pay attention and lend a hand in an integrated attempt to overcome growing social problems at the country's international gate. "We will never give up, but we frankly admit that we can never handle the social problems at the airport without assistance from the government," Haryanto, the airport's general executive manager said Monday.

Your comments:

Poverty is always blamed as the root cause of problems. Hence the government, which wants to stay in power for the next term, is trying to avoid "non-populist" policies.

Being tolerant of the illegal activities of motorists, food vendors and public transportation drivers will not ease poverty. Such government ignorance will cause the economy to become even worse.

And we, the people, should not criticize every time the government takes action against public disorder. It is for the sake of the public interests.

Suri Adnyana
Bekasi, West Java

Eight historical buildings gone -- May 25, p. 2

Demolition of eight historical buildings in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, began last week despite concerns from activists and historians.

The historical buildings - five Dutch colonial-era buildings on Jl. Timor and three on Jl. Ahmad Yani - will be replaced by a shopping mall and a newspaper office.

Your comments:

If you can't save the entire building why not make sure that the developers keep the facade?

As for me, I would keep those buildings built by the Dutch.

The new buildings will be generic and nothing to be admired, as is the case in Jakarta.

Joe Blo
Jakarta