A reflection of Indonesia's challenges in the future

A reflection of Indonesia's challenges in the future

As the nation turns 52 years old tomorrow, political scientist
J. Soedjati Djiwandono of the Centre for Strategic and
International Studies reflects on its challenges.

JAKARTA (JP): As never before, in this age of globalization
because of the rapid advancement of information technology, has
the world been so open, interconnected, and interdependent.

No nation, however powerful, can now afford to isolate itself.
This is the kind of an era in which Indonesia finds itself in its
52nd year as an independent and sovereign nation-state.

In this country, still lacking in national unity and
consolidation in its political system, its cultural tradition and
identity, globalization of information and ideas is more often
perceived primarily as a threat to its national culture and
identity, and therefore feared, than as an opportunity for
progress and advancement.

This is not to deny the possibility that the globalised flow
of information and ideas may encourage certain negative values
such as materialism, consumerism and hedonism. But these are
basically universal human tendencies.

Indeed, there may be an influx of certain values that are in
conflict with our "Asian" or "national" values such as those
relating to family relationships and other social mores that thus
far have been considered as our peculiar characteristics as a
nation.

I do take issue, however, with the view that we have to
preserve at all costs our national culture in its entirely - if
indeed there are such a thing as "national" culture in Indonesia,
in view of the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural nature of the
nation. If there is, it is continuously in the making. As such,
it is dynamic in nature, and forever open to change.

If that should be the case, then globalization is not
necessarily a challenge, least of all a threat, to our national
culture and identity. On the contrary, it may be an opportunity
for progress.

I believe, for one, that at least some of what we often refer
to as "Asian" or "national" cultural values may have also been
Western values, others may even be of universal validity and
applicability. Individual freedoms or liberties, democratic
rights, or human rights generally, are values of universal
validity. No nation can arrest the increasingly globalised and
pressing demands for such inalienable rights.

At any rate, therefore, we need to be more critical,
discriminate, and selective, not only as regards our own cultural
values, but also as regards new or "foreign" values. Those of our
cultural values that stand in the way of human progress should be
gradually abandoned, while others that help the progress of our
nation preserved. A modern system of representative democracy,
for instance, demands the abandonment of certain mental,
particularly feudal, attitudes.

On the other hand, it demands a more open and business-like
attitude and way of thinking. It demands a sense of fairness,
openness to criticism, and readiness to engage in discourses and
debates without regarding political opponents as personal
enemies, accepting political defeat with grace, and victory with
dignity and magnanimity.

One aspect of globalization is the growing trend towards
economic liberalization with its consequent increasing
competition. But globalization also brings with it such values as
efficiency, creativity, and productivity, which characterize the
industrialized world. Learning to develop these qualities would
strengthen our own competitiveness in the world.

Finally, I cannot but think of the increasing pressure for
democratization as a result of globalization. Democracy as an
ideal demanding for equality and justice for all is definitely a
universal value.

Our founding fathers had the kind of vision and anticipation
that would prepare the nation for the 21st century when drafting
our constitution more than half-a-century ago.

The elucidation of the 1945 Constitution states, among other
things, that "We must always remember the dynamics of the life
of the Indonesian society and state. The Indonesian society and
state develop, while time changes... Thus we have to ensure that
the system of the constitution does not lag behind changing
times..."

And "Cultural activities should lead to the advancement of
civilization, culture, and unity, without rejecting new elements
of foreign cultures which can enhance or enrich the nation's
culture and raise the human dignity of the Indonesian nation."