Mangunwijaya lauds ethics of Sjahrir's generation
Mangunwijaya lauds ethics of Sjahrir's generation
JAKARTA (JP): Scholar Y.B. Mangunwijaya yesterday lauded the
ethics upheld by Indonesia's first prime minister, Sutan Sjahrir,
comparing them with prevailing misperceptions about power, state
and society.
During the launch of a book about Sjahrir, Mangunwijaya
described the former prime minister and his generation -- which
included Indonesia's first vice-president Mohammad Hatta and
former foreign minister Mohamad Roem -- as statesmen, not
politicians.
"A wise man would say that politicians campaign using every
means available to win an election and resort to Machiavellian
methods, but statesmen use fair play in their fight for humanity,
justice, rational values and the public's moral welfare," he
said.
Mangunwijaya said this was also the weakness of Sjahrir and
his generation.
"In a climate where fair play is not respected, where force
and power guarantee what people describe as success, then
statesmen are the ones who are brushed aside," he said.
Sjahrir was born in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, headed the
Indonesian Socialist Party and served as prime minister three
times.
He was arrested and jailed by then President Sukarno in 1962.
Due to his weakening condition he was allowed to seek medical
treatment in Switzerland, where he died in 1966.
Mangunwijaya yesterday lamented the neglect of Sjahrir by
Indonesian political thinkers and welcomed the launching of the
translation of Rudolf Mrazek's political biography of Sjahrir.
Mangunwijaya said the book launch is timely.
"It's appropriate in this atmosphere of violence, terror and
various forms of deception, when anyone or any state official can
openly throw away the rules of law and humanity in public," he
said.
"For decades, our country and our nation has been engrossed in
a certain climate which deliberately cloisters the role and
meaning of Sjahrir," said Mangunwijaya, who is also a renowned
author and social activist. (mds)
JAKARTA (JP): Scholar Y.B. Mangunwijaya yesterday lauded the
ethics upheld by Indonesia's first prime minister, Sutan Sjahrir,
comparing them with prevailing misperceptions about power, state
and society.
During the launch of a book about Sjahrir, Mangunwijaya
described the former prime minister and his generation -- which
included Indonesia's first vice-president Mohammad Hatta and
former foreign minister Mohamad Roem -- as statesmen, not
politicians.
"A wise man would say that politicians campaign using every
means available to win an election and resort to Machiavellian
methods, but statesmen use fair play in their fight for humanity,
justice, rational values and the public's moral welfare," he
said.
Mangunwijaya said this was also the weakness of Sjahrir and
his generation.
"In a climate where fair play is not respected, where force
and power guarantee what people describe as success, then
statesmen are the ones who are brushed aside," he said.
Sjahrir was born in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, headed the
Indonesian Socialist Party and served as prime minister three
times.
He was arrested and jailed by then President Sukarno in 1962.
Due to his weakening condition he was allowed to seek medical
treatment in Switzerland, where he died in 1966.
Mangunwijaya yesterday lamented the neglect of Sjahrir by
Indonesian political thinkers and welcomed the launching of the
translation of Rudolf Mrazek's political biography of Sjahrir.
Mangunwijaya said the book launch is timely.
"It's appropriate in this atmosphere of violence, terror and
various forms of deception, when anyone or any state official can
openly throw away the rules of law and humanity in public," he
said.
"For decades, our country and our nation has been engrossed in
a certain climate which deliberately cloisters the role and
meaning of Sjahrir," said Mangunwijaya, who is also a renowned
author and social activist. (mds)