Brave academics rare due to lure of money

Brave academics rare due to lure of money

SEMARANG (JP): Financial and political pressures are common
hurdles for intellectuals, according to a seminar here yesterday.

Rector of Semarang-based Diponegoro University, Muladi, said
that while fulfilling their mission to reveal truth and uphold
justice, intellectuals might miss out on monetary rewards for
their efforts.

"Those serious burdens have made it difficult for us to
generate intellectuals, even in universities," Muladi told a one-
day seminar on academic culture.

He said university graduates were not automatically
intellectuals because the latter had both scientific tradition
and the courage to criticize the government's policies.

"Intellectuals must tell the truth without being afraid of
possible consequences. They have to offer alternatives to solve
problems in an objective way," said Muladi, who is also a member
of the National Commission on Human Rights.

He said intellectuals were not raised only in universities but
in society as well. There were also some self-taught
intellectuals.

Also speaking at the seminar were cultural observer Darmanto
Jatman, architect Eko Budihardjo and Nurdin H.K., all from
Diponegoro University, and Liek Wilardjo of Satya Wacana
Christian University in Salatiga, Central Java.

Wilardjo and Darmanto agreed with Muladi, saying that
academics had often been "lured by money and positions" at the
expense of their intellectual responsibilities.

Darmanto said intellectuals should make morals, ethics and
conscience their top priorities in addition to common sense.

"Obviously, intellectuals must have the guts to apply the
norms, not just discuss them," he said. "I'm afraid intellectuals
with brave hearts have become rare here. (har/amd)