Cross-Generational Evening Discussion: Optimism Remains on Constitutional Street

Yogyakarta — The Sekolah Rakyat Berdaulat Yogyakarta hosted a cross-generational ngabuburit (pre-fast breaking) discussion on Monday, 16 March 2026, bringing together 30 academics, activists and civil society leaders, predominantly young people.

Amongst attendees were Prof M Baiquni, Chair of the Council of Distinguished Professors at Gadjah Mada University, and Sudirman Said, Rector of Harkat Negeri University.

Prof Baiquni issued a formal position statement criticising the signing of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) with the United States President, arguing that the agreement is detrimental and threatens Indonesian national sovereignty.

“We reject Indonesian foreign policy that sides with aggressors as reflected in the signing of the ART and Indonesia’s participation in the Board of Peace, which undermines the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia,” Prof Baiquni stated on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.

Prof Baiquni asserted that Indonesia must be a dignified, sovereign and constitutional nation. He emphasised that this spirit must be cultivated, particularly through epistemic markers and intellectual frameworks.

Sudirman Said, meanwhile, reminded the educated classes of their primary responsibility not to remain silent when witnessing violations and deviations.

He stressed the current need for intrinsic leadership. According to him, Yogyakarta possesses such leadership in Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, whose ethos of “Throne for the People” was underpinned by two pillars: discipline and virtue.

“State guidelines are being trampled, crushed, or bent according to whims. The risks of such recklessness are not in the future — they are already here. We are witnessing and experiencing them directly now,” he said.

Pinurbo from Forum 245 reinforced this sentiment, arguing that independence is not merely a matter of state status, but that all citizens must also achieve epistemic freedom to create a balanced governance framework between state and people.

Policy analyst Joko Susilo argued that good governance can only occur when public space is robust, state capacity is strong, and both mutually reinforce each other.

Obed Kresna Widyapratistha, former UGM Student President, called for the revival of civic politics through political education and strengthened citizen political capacity.

Within academic and educational spheres, Dhivana Anarchia Ria Lay, now active at the Nalar Institute, noted that the role of inspiring educators in mobilising young people has diminished. “Our lecturers and educators are becoming increasingly reluctant,” she said.