Being Indonesian 2
This is a somewhat loose English translation of this essay.
On Facebook, there are lots of Indonesians who say we should appreciate our government’s efforts in handling the ongoing pandemic; for them, the government has done their best and there is no country that competently handles this crisis.
Of course, only fucktards believe that.
First of all, instead of being alert and doing any preventative measures, the government chose to be cocky.
We are told our country can competently handle the plague, even though our healthcare is abysmal and has been since the dawn of time. Since when our country is a healthcare champion?
We are also told our country is divinely blessed by the Almighty, as if we are the only country that deserves the blessing. How can we say that we, a country of savages, deserve it?
Don’t forget that last February, the government prepared 72 billion Rupiahs fund for foreign influences so they could improve our country’s image, as if the government already gave up even before the plague came approaching.
Second, there are obviously countries that skilfully handle this pandemic.
In South Korea, the virus has been plaguing since late January and their death toll is 211. In Malaysia, outbreak started in late January, their death toll is 70. In New Zealand, outbreak started in late February, their death toll is 4. In Singapore, outbreak started in late January, their death toll is 7.*
Taiwan is geographically close to China and has lots of flights from and to China. But, their death toll is 6. Taiwan has been implementing preventative measures since December; they acted so fast, they didn’t need a lockdown! If they were slow, the outbreak would have started and claimed victims before New Year.*
Indonesia? The outbreak started in early March, our death toll is 306, higher than the number of people who have recovered.*
Someone ‘refuted’ my statement by reminding me that we live in Indonesia and the foreign methods may not work here.
Even though there is a truth in that, the problem is our method of handling the outbreak is to be conceited and the foreign method is to be vigilant! The ‘refutation’ is nothing but a rambling of pea-brained reactionary and it lacks any common sense.
We frequently condemn our government which we perceive as corrupt. But, every time they receive foreign condemnation, we defend them! We want to be proud of our country so much, we are willing to defend our country on the world stage, even though we are obviously the wrong one!
If we want to be proud of our own country, shouldn’t we be strongly-principled and sternly hold our government and fellow citizens accountable?
Every time we are suggested to use new methods, we always say they are only suitable for other countries and think ours perfectly suit our country, even though many of our methods are clearly defective and aggravating the problems!
We also the foreign methods will erode our national identity.
If we are really worried about the uniqueness of our nation, why don’t we preserve our cultural heritages more diligently? Why do have to maintain lifestyles that clearly handicap the growth of our nation?
Idiocy, degeneracy and close-mindedness have been so deeply ingrained in our country, we think those are the requirements we need to fulfil if we want to be Indonesians.
There is one governmental effort worthy of praise: legally pursuing those who evict medical workers from their rented houses and reject the burials of victims in their villages.
If the legal actions are executed, I doubt all of those people will end up remorseful. But, I hope they are branded as ungodly beings, albeit temporarily.
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*As of the time when I wrote the original Indonesian essay.
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