Lestari Moerdijat: Practising Pancasila Key to Tackling Global Crisis
The momentum of Pancasila’s Birthday commemorated annually on June 1st must not be treated as mere ceremonial ritual. Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), Lestari Moerdijat, stated that Pancasila must be actively lived and practised daily as a response to the nation’s increasingly complex challenges.
“Amidst the growing threats of global economic volatility and the persistent risk to national unity, the urgency of embedding Pancasila in daily life is no longer a choice but a necessity,” Lestari Moerdijat said in a written statement on Monday, June 1, 2026.
Also known as Rerie, she highlighted recent data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) projecting global growth for 2026 at just 2.6%. This situation places developing nations in difficult positions due to rising energy and food costs, alongside pressure on the Rupiah exchange rate.
She argued that Pancasila must underpin every economic policy to protect vulnerable groups. “Without strong mutual cooperation among stakeholders and tangible social justice, the most vulnerable will bear the brunt. The fifth principle must guide our policies,” stressed the Senior Member of NasDem Party.
Beyond economic aspects, the Member of the House of Representatives’ Commission X also emphasised the importance of strengthening digital literacy, which she views as the primary defence against division caused by misinformation and polarisation online.
“Without adequate digital literacy, our youth risk remaining trapped in polarisation. The state must step in with Pancasila-based character education that adapts to contemporary challenges,” she added.
Rerie called on all segments of society to move beyond rhetoric to concrete action, making Pancasila a solid foundation for facing external and internal shocks.
Deputy Speaker of the MPR Lestari Moerdijat stated that the 2026 TKA results with 8.7 million student participants must form the basis for evidence-based education policy.
She urged cross-sector collaboration to address the low national literacy index, currently at 40.6.
She also stressed the importance of family and school digital literacy to counter the surge in child pornography cases online.
Furthermore, she emphasised the need for collective commitment to uphold the rights of persons with disabilities as mandated by the constitution.
Lastly, she highlighted the critical role of indigenous communities as the last line of defence for biodiversity conservation and national food sovereignty.