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