Meaning of Youth Pledge

Meaning of Youth Pledge

From Rakyat Merdeka

Prior to the commemoration of Youth Pledge Day on Oct. 28, we
should be pondering over what we have done or should have done
for our beloved nation since it was proclaimed in 1928.

We should be pondering over the pains and great efforts taken
by our pioneers and freedom fighters to unite a myriad of youth
organizations from various ethnic backgrounds and religious
faiths into an organization based on the spirit of nationhood.

The youth movement developed into a political movement,
leading to the establishment of the Indonesian National Party
(PNI). To ensure that Indonesia was a secular country, our
leaders established a department for dealing with religious
affairs.

To deal with social problems, referred to in the fifth
principle of the state ideology, the government established a
department of social affairs.

During the Old Order regime, Indonesia was busy coping with
problems of insurgency. However, during the New Order regime, the
leaders pumped state ideology into the heads of people under the
pretext of nation-building so as to disguise their corrupt
officials. These people finally bequeathed a maze of crises and
economic bankruptcy to all of us.

Cherishing lofty hopes, the daughter of the man who proclaimed
independence is now president. We do hope ibu Megawati will be
able to make the hopes of the nation come true, particularly in
building the spirit of nationhood by boosting the use of the
Indonesian language as a means of communication to bind the
nation together.

May Youth Pledge Day be able to enhance the awareness of the
nation's children of the hard-earned pledge and aspirations of
the Indonesian people.

AMIRSYAM PULUNGAN

Jakarta