Dudung urges state officials to strengthen understanding of Pancasila
Presidential Chief of Staff Dudung Abdurachman has urged all state officials to strengthen their understanding and practice of Pancasila values, especially for those who hold direct authority over the public.
Dudung, in a statement received in Jakarta on Sunday, said this strengthening is important because the greater the authority a person holds, the greater the moral responsibility they must exercise in using that authority.
“All state officials must also continue to receive reinforcement of Pancasila values, especially those who have direct authority over the public. This includes government officials, law enforcement officers, and officials with enforcement authority. Why? Because the greater a person’s authority, the greater their moral responsibility,” said Dudung.
According to him, understanding Pancasila for officials is not enough if it is only provided in the form of knowledge; it must be reflected in the way they carry out their duties and exercise their authority.
Dudung said government officials, law enforcement officers, and officials with enforcement authority must be able to carry out their duties firmly while still prioritising the values of humanity and justice.
“For officials, Pancasila must be visible in the way they use their authority — firm but still humane, courageous but not arbitrary, upholding the law but still championing justice and human dignity,” he said.
He emphasised that these values are in line with the second principle of Pancasila concerning just and civilised humanity and the fifth principle concerning social justice for all Indonesian people.
Therefore, according to Dudung, Pancasila values must be directly felt by the public through good state services and fair law enforcement.
Furthermore, he asserted that Pancasila ideological development is not only the responsibility of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP), but is the shared responsibility of all components of the nation.
The government, schools, universities, families, religious leaders, community leaders, the TNI-Polri, the media, and society all have a role in ensuring that Pancasila truly becomes a guide in daily life.
“Pancasila does not belong to one institution. Pancasila belongs to all Indonesian people,” said Dudung.
Dudung also assessed that practising Pancasila is increasingly important amid the development of information technology, social media, and openness to various cultures, ideas, and ideologies from abroad.
He said openness need not be feared, but it must be balanced with a strong national identity so that society, especially the younger generation, can take positive things from global developments without losing their identity as the Indonesian nation.
Pancasila, he said, should not only exist in classrooms, books, podiums, or ceremonies, but must be realised in behaviour.
“If officials serve the people well, that is Pancasila. If officials enforce the law fairly, that is Pancasila,” he concluded.