Popular Culture Review Vol. 14, No. 1, February 2003 | Page 109

Indonesia Honors Political Cartoonist

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and others who demanded political reforms eventually led to Suharto’s resigna
tion. Thus this student is pictured receiving a transfusion labeled reformasi, i.e.
some of the reforms he risked his life to achieve.
The third bed is occupied by a banker who is a victim of Indonesia’s liquidity
problem. Indonesian borrowers who needed only Rp 2,200 to pay each dollar of
their monthly loan payment in June, 1997 needed Rp 15,400 per U.S.Sl in June
1998. As a result, bankers ran very low on money (liquidity) and most if not all
banks would have failed if Indonesia had not been able to get I.M.F. bailout money.
The lucky man is shown receiving the transfusion of money (rupiah) he needs to
survive