DIY legislator: Pancasila must not stop at mere memorisation
Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Chairman of Commission A of the Yogyakarta Special Region Legislative Council (DPRD DIY), Eko Suwanto, has stressed that Pancasila values must not stop at being memorised, but must serve as a guide in nurturing unity amid the diversity of society.
Speaking in Yogyakarta on Sunday, Eko said the spirit of Sinau Pancasila needs to be continuously revived as an effort to understand the values of the state’s foundation through history and their application in daily life.
“The values contained in Pancasila as the foundation and philosophy of the state must not stop at being memorised, but must become a guide in building unity,” he said.
According to him, Indonesia’s diversity has been an important part of nation-building from the outset, so dialogue and openness must continue to be nurtured so that differences do not develop into conflict.
Indonesian unity, he said, cannot be maintained merely through slogans, but must be realised through mutual respect, avoiding hate speech, and building healthy communication within society.
“The values of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika and Pancasila need to be continuously sown so that diversity does not become a source of division,” he said.
The statement was delivered by Eko during a socialisation event on Bhinneka Tunggal Ika organised by the Yogyakarta Special Region National Unity and Politics Agency (Kesbangpol DIY) together with DPRD DIY on Saturday (22/8).
Eko also recalled the history of Yogyakarta, which once served as the capital of the Republic of Indonesia from 4 January 1946 to 27 December 1949.
According to him, this history is important to continue tracing and documenting so that future generations understand Yogyakarta’s role in the struggle to defend Indonesia’s independence.
“Let us not allow future generations to know Yogyakarta only as a city of culture and tourism, but forget that this city was once the centre of the struggle to defend Indonesia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Yogyakarta Special Region National Integration Forum (FPK DIY), Retno Dwi Hastuti, reminded the public to avoid hate speech that has the potential to divide unity.
According to her, diversity must be nurtured by building mutual respect and not being easily provoked by information that could sharpen differences.
Retno said educational environments, families, the media, and society need to work together to build a culture of healthy communication so that diversity is not merely accepted, but becomes a strength in maintaining Indonesian unity.