A timely reminder

A timely reminder

We are now living amid the turbulent efforts of economic
development, which can have a negative impact on our moral values
if we are not careful. Because of this we need someone to remind
us when we get too far along the highway of material development
and to tell us that we need to take another look at our
traditional values.

It is in this context that we need to watch the congress of
the Indonesian Ulemas' Council (MUI) which was opened by
President Soeharto last night. The council is an influential non-
governmental body which was set up two decades ago as a bridge of
communication between the authorities and the Moslem community.

Lately the MUI has appeared to be more active in its efforts
to act as a moral watchdog for the nation. It has been spending
more time observing negative trends due to which our moral values
as a people have gradually changed.

We have to understand that this change is part of the
complexity of our drive towards modernism. But the drive has
often put us on a collision course with traditional values. There
is now a strong tendency among our people to compete for greater
personal welfare. This has led to the view that the accumulation
of wealth should have no boundaries and that the end always
justifies the means.

In short, we have seen the gradual disappearance of our sense
of social responsibility and of what the people here like to call
the "culture of shame". People from all walks of life have not
only ceased to feel ashamed when they are involved in unethical
or dishonest behavior, or scandals, but even flaunt their corrupt
and scandalous ways of life.

It is truly regrettable that the majority of people in our
society seem to have adapted themselves to this reality because
they do not want to be accused of lagging behind. The question is
how to stop the trend and to correct the attitude that everyone
has the right to do anything they want to in this country as long
as they do not disturb national stability.

For those citizens with adequate rational and intellectual
capabilities the fading away of the "culture of shame" means that
something valuable has gone missing -- something that we
inherited from our ancestors and that has long been a part of our
culture.

Due to the loss of a sense of shame over wrongdoing, we have
degraded ourselves to the level of creatures who worship the
material to the detriment of human dignity.

It is here that religious bodies like MUI must play a greater
role, based on the logic that religions not only motivate their
followers to visiting places of worship, but also encourage
people to apply strict moral teachings and a sense of social
responsibility in their daily lives.

To face this complex problem effectively, MUI not only needs
an urgent sense of responsibility, but also some modern
infrastructure. It should first set up a research body in order
to draw up a map of the social ills to be tackled.

And due to the fact that the "culture of shame" has been
pushed aside, not only in private circles but also in the
bureaucracy, MUI must find the courage to speak to the ruling
elite about the matter.

MUI chairman KH Hasan Basri was right when he said that the
council is not sermonizing when it criticizes. He sees the MUI's
comments on current social behavior as a reminder to the public
of the traditional moral values that have served this nation
well. And, in particular, as a reminder to the people in
authority, that they took solemn oaths of moral and ethical
import upon assuming their positions of power.

Unfortunately, in our culture where the remnants of the old
feudalistic ways are still alive, sending this important message
home may be easier said than done.