Morality: A remedy for national afflictions

Morality: A remedy for national afflictions

By Kasdin Sihotang

JAKARTA (JP): The mid-May riots and lootings were
manifestations of a moral decadence in this country. People did
not uphold ethical values like justice, responsibility and good
conduct and respect toward the rights and lives of others.

The cultures of homo homini lupus and Machiavellianism are
rife and have been put to work to further individuals' and
groups' interests.

Moral collapse is the fruit of the New Order government's
anomalous paradigm of democracy. Four deviations stand up.

First, centralization of power in a certain group. Incoming
and outgoing cabinet members as well as key government officials
and members of the House of Representatives have always been
people who are close to Soeharto. Hence, the general election was
basically a political farce.

Second, corruption, collusion and nepotism (locally known as
KKN) were rife in the government. This was the result of power
centralization. During the New Order regime the government never
made serious efforts to tackle KKN, let alone eradicate it. Many
of the half-hearted efforts were even circumvented. Vocal
officials or House members were removed or recalled. One example
was Sri Bintang Pamungkas.

Third, the extortion and repression of the people. Using
excuses like "for the sake of national development" and "in the
public interest" farmers' land was forcibly expropriated by the
power holders to build golf courses.

For the sake of "national stability", workers and journalists
who fought for justice and truth like Marsinah and Udin were
murdered, critical young students activist like Pius Lustrilanang
were abducted. Many government critics in Aceh, East Timor and
Irian Jaya were tortured to death.

Fourth, excessive intervention in the world of education.
Education, for the New Order powerholders, was a means to channel
their political interests. Government intervention in this field
was so deep that education became sterile.

This 30 years of repression is responsible for the creation of
our mentality ill society. Among its symptoms are the alienation
of the individual, the repression of criticism and control, the
exploitation of people to further certain political interests and
the demise of moral values.

In such a situation no one could serve as a model, especially
for the younger generation. For scholar Franz Magnis-Suseno in
his book Mencari Makna Kebangsaan (In Search for the Definition
of Nationality), such a climate killed people's sense of
belonging, robbed their confidence in the government and served
as a root of the crisis for the nation.

To remedy this social illness, moral reform is required.
This entails a change in the mentality and attitude of the
people, both in the short and long term.

In the short term, four aspects need serious attention. First,
a clean government. Those who are still involved in the KKN
culture must be removed from the government. As long as they
remain in the government, people's confidence will not return.
The Habibie administration needs to seriously set up a clean
government.

Second, the new government should thoroughly investigate
corrupt officials, both present and former ones, including former
president Soeharto. The investigation should be open to the
public.

Third, a law to uphold morality must be enforced. The law must
be applicable to anyone who is guilty especially those who have
violated human rights through kidnapping and murder.

Fourth, good management of the current economic crisis,
especially the supply of basic commodities to the people. The
government must show that their policies clearly side with the
interests of the common people, not the power holders.

The long-term action should include, firstly, steps to revive
a free-market economy. There should be a guarantee of freedom for
people to allocate their economic resources where they like. The
economy should no longer concentrate on a small elite. The role
of the government should be confined to the creation of a
conducive climate for the functioning of a healthy market
mechanism to preclude monopolistic and oligopolistic practices.

In support of this, the effective participation of the people,
transparency and public accountability are the key words.

Second, the unequal distribution of the fruits of development
should be ended. One of the reasons for the public
dissatisfaction that led to riots was the uneven distribution of
the fruits of development.

Economic yields are concentrated in Jakarta at the expense of
the people in the provinces who are deprived of receiving a just
share. Hence, the question of autonomy is urgent.

Third, reorientation of national education. The New Order took
the side of the authorities not the students. This kind of
orientation must be abandoned. There must be no more government
intervention in education and it should only function as an
advisor, a supervisor and a guarantor for children unable to
attend school, not a determinator.

Educators must be in full charge of education.
Decentralization of the education sector is a must.

Plato said man's development is linked to his ability to
attain morality of the soul by totally changing his character,
behavior, steps and deeds.

Hence, education will not only act as a vehicle to transfer
knowledge but also to transfer values.

The writer is a lecturer in ethics and a staff member of the
Center of Ethics Development at Atma Jaya Catholic University,
Jakarta.