Foreign loan and religion
Foreign loan and religion
From Forum Keadilan
On reading the interview with B.J. Habibie in Forum Keadilan (No. 24, year V, March 10, 1997), I was puzzled. The book Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence clearly stated that Indonesia knows no minority and majority groups. And the 1945 Constitution further clarifies the matter in article No. 27 concerning equal rights for all Indonesian citizens, and Pancasila philosophy suggests the need to respect each other in the plural society.
In the context of foreign loans, we are faced with western democracy, which does not mix state affairs with religion. Therefore, Indonesia's foreign loans have not been linked to religious issues. If there is someone who links foreign loans with religion, this is too much.
For evidence that religion is not linked to foreign loans we can look back at the colonial era. Although Indonesia was under the colonial yoke for three-and-a-half centuries, only a tiny fraction of the population became Christians. Why? Simply because the colonialists managed to separate state affairs from religious practices.
The colonial government was ruled by force, deception and intimidation. Whereas missionary work was carried out by private organizations and volunteers. So, there is no reason whatsoever to suggest that the 10 percent dominated the 90 percent, which sounds similar to the "Christianization" accusation. After all, after 50 years of independence, the Christians remain only a very small fraction of the Indonesian population. How could it be possible that this small fraction dominates the big majority?
Habibie's response indicates that we are experiencing a backward outlook and conceptual thinking, which characterized the colonial era with its divided et empera. On the other hand, time keeps ticking on and leads us to global competitiveness.
Indonesian human resources are required to be more qualified, skilled and professional, leaning toward the benefit of partnership instead of a to-dominate-or-to-be-dominated concept and ethnically, religiously, racially and culturally oriented insight.
Our development will be facing tougher challenges if we fail to strengthen our conceptual thinking and mental attitude in congruent with the demand of competitiveness era. To be optimistic over the future of the nation, Habibie's interviews should be looked at as attitudes and concepts of his own as an individual and not in his capacity of an intellectual let alone as a minister.
T. ARITONANG
Bekasi, West Java