I left for Indonesia on the 17th and returned the following day. The visit was intended for three days but alas, the circumstance was not conducive this time. I was informed by the person in charge of the residential estate that the Indonesian Police are conducting a house to house operation.

Having traveled and lived in Indonesia for almost 10 years now, I have learned that it is unwise to meet the Indonesian Police, especially when they are on official duty. The reason for avoiding the Indonesian Police is because they are regarded as the most corrupt in that land. My immediate return was solely to avoid any possible hassles with the Police and it is not because I have a criminal record in Indonesia.

During my sea journey to Indonesia and 12 hours of stay, I had conversations with a few Indonesians about how the present Economic crisis is affecting their lives.

I was not surprised by their answers.

The Indonesians are largely unperturbed by whatever is happening today. Yes, they are aware of what has befallen in America and many other countries. However, for generations, the Indonesians have been a suppressed lot from the era of 300 years of Dutch rule, gross mismanagement after gaining Independence and the ever present danger of being overwhelmed and destroyed by natural calamity.

Neither does the escalating rate of unemployment in America or in other countries rattle the Indonesians nor do their tongues wag about it. Unemployment? Indonesians have accepted unemployment as a natural consequence of a immensely corrupt society that they live in.

Perhaps the Indonesians feel that the time has arrived for the developed countries to suffer the fate of the Indonesians; to better understand what it feels like to constantly live with deprivation and to face the scorn of inadequacy.

I found nothing tangible that has impacted the attitude of the Indonesians with whatever the consequences this Economic crisis will bear upon their livelihood. For example, in their recent past, the Indonesians have borne the brunt of incomprehensible human suffering to the extent of killing cats and rats for food, eating boiled leaves and roots of the Cassava plant, non-lactating mothers feed their infants with diluted tea or simply plain water. And above all that, they are totally impotent against a incorrigible corrupt system whereby their monthly ration and external donated food is inexplicably “stolen” from them.

If they crawl out of their dire straits through sheer personal resilience, they still have to come to grips with the unexpected natural calamity - earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mud slides, floods. That is not all yet. Then there is disease chiefly due to poor sanitation and poor water supply system, house robberies, systemic corruption, unemployment and fanatical sects imposing religious intolerance.

Hence, I found out that most Indonesians are unfazed by the turmoil that has touched millions of lives beyond their shores.

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