Always reveal the source of the article or the news at the beginning or at the end.

Please give credit to it belongs. Thank you 

Bruce,

Not just in a poor society where penny counts. Even in a rich and abundance society such as the American. Go to jail for a mere $20?

See below:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080919/ap_on_fe_st/odd_piggy_bank_robbery;_ylt=AoG49i2ZfjluCYrUHyKfEPYZ.3QA

Wis. man convicted of robbing toddler's piggy bank

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - A man convicted of stealing $20 from a toddler's piggy bank has been sentenced to six years in prison. Four-time convicted burglar Ryan Mueller was convicted Thursday of felony burglary as a repeat offender in a Sheboygan, Wis., court.

Prosecutors say the 31-year-old Mueller broke into a home in August 2007 and stole money from a 2-year-old girl's piggy bank while she slept. They say the girl's mother walked into the room and caught Mueller in the act.

BruceLaoMan wrote:

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It is pretty sad to lose your life over a $4 handout, but in a poor society, every penny counts. Should there be a better way to help the poor to avoid the stampede? Indonesia, under a tyrant Suharto, economy had been submerged to the bottom and after decades of his presidency, people were fed up with him. A mass demonstration and a constant violence finally forced him to resign since then; the economy of Indonesia has been impressively improving.

Decades of authoritarianism had unabashedly enriched Suharto and his family. The empty promises to alleviate poverty, implement financial reforms, fight corruption, and to hold his military, police accountable for human rights violations were futile because he only cared for himself. Nonetheless, Indonesia is gradually recovering from economic crises and soon, it will enter a trillion dollar-class economy like Mexico.

Bruce,

Thank you for the reception. However, saved your advice for you might need it later. Those poor Indonesians are not much differences from the  American criminal that robbed the little girl's piggy bank for $20. Poverty is the commonality between the two cases.

See below:

http://www.forbes.com/business/global/2007/1224/049.html

Indonesia's 40 Richest
Justin Doebele 12.24.07

Wrapping up FORBES ASIA's annual coverage of the region's wealthiest fortunes is our ranking of Indonesia's 40 Richest. The list, like the ten other country-specific ones we've published this year, illustrates the big gains Asian tycoons are making. Overall, the combined net worth of our Asia rich listers rose to $938 billion, up from $575 billion, thanks largely to strong equities and real estate markets, as well as a weak dollar. The 40 wealthiest Indonesians added $18 billion to their combined wealth, bringing it up to $40 billion.

The country now boasts 11 billionaires, 4 more than last year. (The list is broadened to include family fortunes shared by relatives that we would exclude from our main billionaire roster.) "Landlords" who make their money through such commodities as coal, paper and palm oil did particularly well. Aburizal Bakrie and his family, whose investment in coal outfit Bumi Resources is up 600%, took the top spot, with a $5.4 billion fortune. Sukanto Tanoto is worth $4.7 billion, up from $2.8 billion, but still slips to second place. Martua Sitorus, who merged the palm oil holdings of his Wilmar International with those of Malaysia's richest person, Robert Kuok, became a billionaire, now worth $2.1 billion. The three newcomers include Soergiarto Adikoesoemo, whose company is Asia Pacific's biggest sorbitol maker; 42-year-old media magnate Hary Tanoesoedibjo; and Bambang Trihatmodjo, the son of former president Suharto. We broke out the fortune of Michael Hartono, whose wealth had previously been lumped in with that of his brother R. Budi, based on more detailed information on the siblings' holdings. The fortune of Liem Sioe Liong's family is now listed under son Anthoni Salim, who owns a greater portion of the holdings. Same case for Eka Tjandranegara, who takes his father's spot.

A net worth of $120 million was needed to make the list, up from $80 million last year. 2006 rich lister Soedarpo Sastrosatomo passed away on Oct. 22. Net worths were calculated using Nov. 30 stock prices and exchange rates. Privately held companies were valued by comparing them with similar publicly traded companies. Any fortune not wholly owned by an individual is denoted with "& family."

Additional reporting by Chen Wei Lin, Febriamy Hutapea, P. Lestari, Li Siang Kim, Suzanne Nam, Lan Anh Nguyen, Glen Perkinson, Dick Rachmawan and Ardian Wibisono.

1. Aburizal Bakrie & family
$5.4 billion
60. Married, 3 children

Runs family-held Bakrie group, founded by late father in 1942. Has interests in infrastructure, property, telecom. Huge stock run-up in biggest holding, coal producer Bumi Resources, lifted fortune. Co-owns Lapindo Brantas, oil-and-gas outfit whose drilling allegedly helped trigger a massive mudslide in 2006, burying villages, displacing thousands. Onetime presidential candidate, he is country's Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare.

2. Sukanto Tanoto
$4.7 billion
58. Married, 4 children

Owns April, one of Asia's largest pulp- and papermakers, and Asian Agri, among country's 5 largest palm oil producers. Helped fund journalism school in Singapore. Reportedly used Chinese-English dictionary to teach himself English.

3. R. Budi Hartono
$3.14 billion
66. Married, 3 children

4. Michael Hartono
$3.08 billion
68. Married, 4 children

Brothers own clove cigarette brand Djarum, most popular of its kind among Americans, founded by father in 1951. Also own stakes in country's largest private bank, Bank Central Asia. Developing Grand Indonesia, a luxury shopping mall, office building and hotel complex in the center of Jakarta.

5. Eka Tjipta Widjaja & family
$2.8 billion
84. Married, 15 children

Emigrated from China to Indonesia; got start selling biscuits at age 17. Created Asia Pulp & Paper, which defaulted on more than $10 billion in debt in 2001. Still has stakes in pulp, paper; also plantations, food. New venture, Smart Telecom, launched in September, offers phone calls for 45 rupiah (half a penny) a minute.

6. Putera Sampoerna & family
$2.2 billion
59. Married, 4 children

After selling cigarette company to Philip Morris in 2005, family ventured into gaming and agrobusiness through Sampoerna Strategic, run by son Michael (also a professional poker player). Daughter Michelle runs family's philanthropy.

7. Martua Sitorus
$2.1 billion
47. Married

Began trading shrimp, other marine products 1978, then switched to palm oil, buying first plantation 1994. Later cofounded agribusiness Wilmar International with nephew of Malaysia's richest man, Robert Kuok. Signed $4 billion merger agreement with Kuok's plantation group in December 2006, resulting in world's largest palm oil processor. Stock has more than doubled.

8. Rachman Halim & family
$1.6 billion
60. Married

Heads Gudang Garam, nation's largest clove cigarette maker, founded by father in 1958. Group's GG Filter International Merah is world's most popular clove cigarette. Brothers Sumarto and Susilo Wonowidjojo share fortune and sit on group's board.

9. Peter Sondakh
$1.45 billion
55. Married, 3 children

Established trading firm Rajawali Group 1984; now in telecom, consumer goods, retail, transportation. Most valuable holding is stake in cementmaker Semen Gresik; value tripled in two years. Partners with Sheraton and Novotel in hotels.

10. Eddy William Katuari & family
$1.39 billion
56. Married, 4 children

Took helm of Wings, Indonesia's largest maker of soap and other household goods, in 2004, after death of his father, group's cofounder. Family's Bank Ekonomi may go public later this year.

11. Anthoni Salim & family
$1.3 billion
58

Father, Liem Sioe Liong, built family's Salim Group into food, shipping, bank and building empire. Now Anthoni heads family's Indofood, world's largest instant noodle maker by sales. Last year pledged $1 million to his private high school in Singapore to support a Bahasa Indonesia language program. Family lost their Bank Central Asia in 1998, now headed by Hartono brothers (see).

12. Mochtar Riady & family
$950 million
78. Married, 6 children

Founder of Lippo Group, with interests in property, retail, finance. Listed REIT holding Indonesian malls in November on Singapore exchange. Recently opened the Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology.

13. Murdaya Poo
$900 million
66. Married, 4 children

Founded Central Cipta Murdaya in 1984. Now involved in timber, real estate, steel production, conferences, palm oil. Devout Buddhist, member of parliament, seeking to pass antidiscrimination law. Heads Indonesian Golf Course Owners Association. Wife, Hartati, who shares fortune, active in the Council of Buddhist Communities (Walubi).

14. Arifin Panigoro & family
$880 million
62. Married, 2 children

His Medco Energi International, which he founded in 1980, is expanding into Libya, Yemen, Tunisia. Family sold 20% stake to Mitsubishi (other-otc: MSBHY.PK - news - people ) in August for $352 million but still holds majority of shares. Arifin is now adviser; brother Hilmi is chief executive, sister Yanti active in philanthropy.

15. Hary Tanoesoedibjo
$815 million
42. Married, 5 children

Founded Bhakti Investama a month after college graduation at age 24. Group now encompasses 3 national TV networks, 4 radio networks, a wireless network, a Web site and a national newspaper; also has stakes in investment bank, toll roads, real estate. Launching new airline, Eagle Air, in next 6 months. Workaholic holds meetings on public holidays, works out daily. Denies rumors that he was helped along by ties to Suharto's family.

BruceLaoMan wrote:

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(abundant society) abundance is a noun 
Anyway, I just don’t understand how you would compare a savage or a low-life criminal to a society as a whole. That piece of trash probably needed money for heroin, cocaine. That was his only desperation. There are millions of successful immigrants, who came to the states with nothing, barely speak or understand English, but due to their hard work, determination, they have owned many businesses. Some earned a degree from college, universitie and education is also free for low income families; in addition, the government also provides financial grants to those whose overall grade point averages are at least 70%. There are those who take everything for granted.

I have known many Laotians who could not even read or write in their own language, driving expensive cars, living in expensive homes. I hope you learn how to differentiate desperation from society to desperation from a low-life criminal. By the way, welcome back to Samakomlao.

-- Edited by BruceLaoMan at 04:11, 2008-09-20

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