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