AS Hikam's warning
AS Hikam's warning
From Rakyat Merdeka
It is interesting to take note of the warning given by Mr. AS Hikam in Rakyat Merdeka daily of June 9, 1999. Hats off to Mr. Hikam for his willingness as a political scientist to apply his expert knowledge for the establishment of a public life characterized by compatibility, harmony and balance.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) must carefully and wisely understand this warning. Mr. Hikam said warning that PDI Perjuangan has made a tactical error, namely allowing itself to be labeled "a secular group". In the mass media, members of PDI Perjuangan always emphasize that the party is based on Pancasila, the state ideology.
As such, PDI Perjuangan is not a party that ignores and rejects the contribution from people professing a religion in Indonesia, particularly moral, ethical and spiritual contribution to the nation-building process. By emphasizing that the party is based on Pancasila, PDI Perjuangan at the same time wishes to affirm that the new Indonesia all reform-minded Indonesians have been fighting for is neither a secular nor a religion-based country.
Therefore, the creative contribution toward the realization of a Pancasila-based country becomes what people of all religions are now demanding. This is clearly not the job of a particular religion only -- be it the religion of the majority of the population or otherwise inasmuch as the majority and minority discourse, let alone the domination of the majority and the tyranny of the minority, is alien to the Pancasila discourse.
In this light, in support of the wise warning sounded by Mr. Hikam, I also hope that legislative candidates of PDI Perjuangan will always persistently pioneer and uphold a praxis of politicians who are morally and ethically excellent, resigned and faithful to God as well that of statesmen who uphold the spirit of a family life, mutual help and a harmonious, compatible and balanced life underlined by tolerance.
This praxis is now a rarity in Indonesia. The problems confronted by the nation and the state cannot be solved by PDI Perjuangan alone, without involving all reform-minded people in the country.
SJ MAILOA
Jakarta