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strong>Jan. 14, p.1

Seeing Ratatouille, the cute animated rat running around the kitchen in the Oscar-nominated movie of the same name might generate laughter.

Your comments:

This is an article with vague and unspecific accusations. In the future, please be specific about the restaurants in which these rats were spotted and with actual times and dates.

So many times I read articles like this or letters to the editor in which references are made to things like “a high-end restaurant in South Jakarta” or “a five-star hotel in Central Jakarta”. Please use specific names! We want to know where and when this stuff really happened.

Charles Wagon

Charles Wagon, libel’s the word. Indonesians remember when a mother told her friends about terrible service in a hospital (Omni International Hospital, if you want a name).

They came at her viciously with defamation charges, and she had to go through a legal and mental nightmare for years. There was also a tenant who complained to his apartment’s management (geez, I forget the name, really) and they brought in the police who charged him with theft.

Of course, the patrons know the names of the restaurants. Of course, the journalists know. But name names and there’s some chance that the restaurant would sue them.

It’s not that fair in court since many posh restaurants in Jakarta are owned by children of tycoons, generals, or high-ranking politicians. They have lawyers, loads of money, PR people and thugs.

Against a civilian who was stunned to see the rat, even a mobile phone snapshot might not be enough as proof.

Maybe the restaurant doesn’t even need to clean the kitchen — they only need to do favors for the City Council or the health department (by treating them dinner, which would be ironic).

People here know how to be specific, but being specific can be deadly.

Mario Rustan