Mangunwijaya lauds ethics of Sjahrir's generation<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Scholar Y.B. Mangunwijaya yesterday lauded the
\nethics upheld by Indonesia's first prime minister, Sutan Sjahrir,
\ncomparing them with prevailing misperceptions about power, state
\nand society.<\/p>\n
During the launch of a book about Sjahrir, Mangunwijaya
\ndescribed the former prime minister and his generation -- which
\nincluded Indonesia's first vice-president Mohammad Hatta and
\nformer foreign minister Mohamad Roem -- as statesmen, not
\npoliticians.<\/p>\n
\"A wise man would say that politicians campaign using every
\nmeans available to win an election and resort to Machiavellian
\nmethods, but statesmen use fair play in their fight for humanity,
\njustice, rational values and the public's moral welfare,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Mangunwijaya said this was also the weakness of Sjahrir and
\nhis generation.<\/p>\n
\"In a climate where fair play is not respected, where force
\nand power guarantee what people describe as success, then
\nstatesmen are the ones who are brushed aside,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sjahrir was born in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, headed the
\nIndonesian Socialist Party and served as prime minister three
\ntimes.<\/p>\n
He was arrested and jailed by then President Sukarno in 1962.
\nDue to his weakening condition he was allowed to seek medical
\ntreatment in Switzerland, where he died in 1966.<\/p>\n
Mangunwijaya yesterday lamented the neglect of Sjahrir by
\nIndonesian political thinkers and welcomed the launching of the
\ntranslation of Rudolf Mrazek's political biography of Sjahrir.<\/p>\n
Mangunwijaya said the book launch is timely.<\/p>\n
\"It's appropriate in this atmosphere of violence, terror and
\nvarious forms of deception, when anyone or any state official can
\nopenly throw away the rules of law and humanity in public,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"For decades, our country and our nation has been engrossed in
\na certain climate which deliberately cloisters the role and
\nmeaning of Sjahrir,\" said Mangunwijaya, who is also a renowned
\nauthor and social activist. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mangunwijaya-lauds-ethics-of-sjahrirs-generation-1447893297",
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